TOM 


V 


AND  HIS 

SUBMARINE 
BOAT 


VICTOR 
APPLETON 


University  of  California  •  Berkeley 

DONALD  SIDNEY-FRYER 
COLLECTION 


TOM  SAW  THE  FORM  OF  A  GREAT  SHARK  LAUNCHED  AT 
CAPTAIN  WESTON. 

Tom  Swift  and  His  Submarine  Boat  Page  200 


TOM    SWIFT  AND    HIS 
SUBMARINE   BOAT 

OR 
Under  the  Ocean  for  Sunken  Treasure 


BY 
VICTOR  APPLETON 

ACTHOE  01  "xou  swirr  AND  HIS  MOTOR-CYCLE,"  "TOM 

MOTOE-BOAT,"  ETC. 


ILLUSTRATED 


NEW  YORK 
GROSSET   &   DUNLAP 

PUBLISHERS 

Made  in  the  United  States  of  America 


BOOKS  BY  VICTOR  APPLETON 

THE  TOM  SWIFT  SERIES 


TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  MOTOR-CYCLE 

Or  Fun  and  Adventure  on  the  Road 
TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  MOTOR-BOAT 

Or  the  Rivals  of  Lake  Carlopa 
TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  AIRSHIP 

Or  the  Stirring  Cruise  of  the  Red  Cloud 
TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

Or  Under  the  Ocean  for  Sunken  Treasure 
TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  ELECTRIC  RUNABOUT 

Or  the  Speediest  Car  on  the  Road 

v  Other  Volumes  in  preparation) 


GROSSET  &  DUNLAP 

PUBLISHERS  NEW  YORK 


COPYRIGHT,  1910,  BY 
GROSSET  &  DUNLAP 

Tom  S-wift  and  Hi*  Submarine  Boat 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I  NEWS  OF  A  TREASURE  WRECK I 

II  FINISHING  THE  SUBMARINE 12 

III  MR.  BERG  Is  ASTONISHED 23 

IV  TOM  Is  IMPRISONED 29 

V  MR.  BERG  Is  SUSPICIOUS 40 

VI  TURNING  THE  TABLES 53 

VII  MR.  DAMON  WILL  Go 64 

iVIII  ANOTHER  TREASURE  EXPEDITION 72 

IX  CAPTAIN  WESTON'S  ADVENT 78 

X  TRIAL  OF  THE  SUBMARINE.  . •..  87 

XI  ON  THE  OCEAN  BED 97 

XII  FOR  A  BREATH  OF  AIR 105 

XIII  OFF  FOR  THE  TREASURE 114 

XIV  IN  THE  DIVING  SUITS •  122 

XV  AT  THE  TROPICAL  ISLAND 129 

XVI  "WE'LL  RACE  You  FOR  IT  !" 134 

XVII  THE  RACE 140 

XVIII  THE  ELECTRIC  GUN 149 

XIX  CAPTURED 156 

XX  DOOMED  TO  DEATH 16* 

iii 


iv  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGB 

XXI    THE  ESCAPE 175 

XXII    AT  THE  WRECK 190 

XXIII  ATTACKED  BY  SHARKS 197 

XXIV  RAMMING  THE  WRECK 205 

XXV  HOME  WITH  THE  GOLD.  .  210 


TOM    SWIFT    AND    HIS 
SUBMARINE    BOAT 


CHAPTER  I 

NEWS  OF  A  TREASURE  WRECK 

THERE  was  a  rushing,  whizzing,  throbbing 
noise  in  the  air.  A  great  body,  like  that  of  some 
immense  bird,  sailed  along,  casting  a  grotesque 
shadow  on  the  ground  below.  An  elderly  man, 
who  was  seated  on  the  porch  of  a  large  house, 
started  to  his  feet  in  alarm. 

"Gracious  goodness!  What  was  that,  Mrs. 
Baggert  ?"  he  called  to  a  motherly-looking  woman 
who  stood  in  the  doorway.  "What  happened?" 

"Nothing  much,  Mr.  Swift,"  was  the  calm  re- 
ply. "I  think  that  was  Tom  and  Mr.  Sharp  in 
their  airship,  that's  all.  I  didn't  see  it,  but  the 
noise  sounded  like  that  of  the  Red  Cloud." 

"Of  course!  To  be  sure!"  exclaimed  Mr. 
Barton  Swift,  the  well-known  inventor,  as  he 


2       TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

started  down  the  path  in  order  to  get  a  good  view 
of  the  air,  unobstructed  by  the  trees.  "Yes,  there 
they  are,"  he  added.  "That's  the  airship,  but  I 
didn't  expect  them  back  so  soon.  They  must 
have  made  good  time  from  Shopton.  I  wonder 
if  anything  can  be  the  matter  that  they  hurried 
so?" 

He  gazed  aloft  toward  where  a  queerly-shaped 
machine  was  circling  about  nearly  five  hundred 
feet  in  the  air,  for  the  craft,  after  swooping  down 
close  to  the  house,  had  ascended  and  was  now 
hovering  just  above  the  line  of  breakers  that 
marked  the  New  Jersey  seacoast,  where  Mr.  Swift 
had  taken  up  a  temporary  residence. 

"Don't  begin  worrying,  Mr.  Swift,"  advised 
Mrs.  Baggert,  the  housekeeper.  "You've  got  too 
much  to  do,  if  you  get  that  new  boat  done,  to 
worry." 

"That's  so.  I  must  not  worry.  But  I  wish 
Tom  and  Mr.  Sharp  would  land,  for  I  want  to 
talk  to  them." 

As  if  the  occupants  of  the  airship  had  heard 
fhe  words  of  the  aged  inventor,  they  headed  their 
craft  toward  earth.  The  combined  aeroplane  and 
dirigible  balloon,  a  most  wonderful  traveler  of 
the  air,  swung  around,  and  then,  with  the  deflec- 
tion rudders  slanted  downward,  came  on  with  a 
rush.  When  near  the  landing  place,  just  at  the 


NEWS  OF  A  TREASURE  WRECK  3 

side  of  the  house,  the  motor  was  stopped,  and  the 
gas,  with  a  hissing  noise,  rushed  into  the  red 
aluminum  container.  This  immediately  made  the 
ship  more  buoyant  and  it  landed  almost  as  gently 
as  a  feather. 

No  sooner  had  the  wheels  which  formed  the 
lower  part  of  the  craft  touched  the  ground  than 
there  leaped  from  the  cabin  of  the  Red  Cloud  a 
young  man. 

"Well,  dad!"  he  exclaimed.  "Here  we  are 
again,  safe  and  sound.  Made  a  record,  too. 
Touched  ninety  miles  an  hour  at  times — didn't  we, 
Mr.  Sharp?" 

"That's  what,"  agreed  a  tall,  thin,  dark-com- 
plexioned man,  who  followed  Tom  Swift  more 
leisurely  in  his  exit  from  the  cabin.  Mr.  Sharp, 
a  veteran  aeronaut,  stopped  to  fasten  guy  ropes 
from  the  airship  to  strong  stakes  driven  into 
the  ground. 

"And  we'd  have  done  better,  only  we  struck  a 
hard  wind  against  us  about  two  miles  up  in  the 
air,  which  delayed  us,"  went  on  Tom.  "Did  you 
hear  us  coming,  dad  ?" 

"Yes,  and  it  startled  him,"  put  in  Mrs.  Bag- 
gert  "I  guess  he  wasn't  expecting  you." 

"Oh,  well,  I  shouldn't  have  been  so  alarmed, 
only  I  was  thinking  deeply  about  a  certain  change 
I  am  going  to  make  in  the  submarine,  Tom.  I 


4       TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

was  day-dreaming,  I  think,  when  your  ship 
whizzed  through  the  air.  But  tell  me,  did  you 
find  everything  all  right  at  Shopton?  No  signs 
(of  any  of  those  scoundrels  of  the  Happy  Harry 
gang  having  been  around?"  and  Mr.  Swift  looked 
anxiously  at  his  son. 

"Not  a  sign,  dad,"  replied  Tom  quickly. 
"Everything  was  all  right.  We  brought  the 
things  you  wanted.  They're  in  the  airship.  Oh, 
but  it  was  a  fine  trip.  I'd  like  to  take  another 
right  out  to  sea." 

"Not  now,  Tom,"  said  his  father.  "I  want  you 
to  help  me.  And  I  need  Mr.  Sharp's  help,  too. 
Get  the  things  out  of  the  car,  and  we'll  go  to  the 
shop." 

"First  I  think  we'd  better  put  the  airship 
away,"  advised  Mr.  Sharp.  "I  don't  just  like 
the  looks  of  the  weather,  and,  besides,  if  we  leave 
the  ship  exposed  we'll  be  sure  to  have  a  crowd 
around  sooner  or  later,  and  we  don't  want  that." 

"No,  indeed,"  remarked  the  aged  inventor 
hastily.  "I  don't  want  people  prying  around  the 
submarine  shed.  By  all  means  put  the  airship 
away,  and  then  come  into  the  shop." 

In  spite  of  its  great  size  the  aeroplane  was 
easily  wheeled  along  by  Tom  and  Mr.  Sharp, 
for  the  gas  in  the  container  made  it  so  buoyant 
that  it  barely  touched  the  earth.  A  little  more 


NEWS  OF  A  TREASURE  WRECK  g 

of  the  powerful  vapor  and  the  Red  Cloud  would 
have  risen  by  itself.  In  a  few  minutes  the  won- 
derful craft,  of  which  my  readers  have  been  told 
in  detail  in  a  previous  volume,  was  safely  housed 
in  a  large  tent,  which  was  securely  fastened. 

Mr.  Sharp  and  Tom,  carrying  some  bundles 
which  they  had  taken  from  the  car,  or  cabin,  of 
the  craft,  went  toward  a  large  shed,  which  ad- 
joined the  house  that  Mr.  Swift  had  hired  for 
the  season  at  the  seashore.  They  found  the  lad's 
father  standing  before  a  great  shape,  which 
loomed  up  dimly  in  the  semi-darkness  of  the  build- 
ing. It  was  like  an  immense  cylinder,  pointed 
at  either  end,  and  here  and  there  were  openings, 
covered  with  thick  glass,  like  immense,  bulging 
eyes.  From  the  number  of  tools  and  machinery 
all  about  the  place,  and  from  the  appearance  of 
the  great  cylinder  itself,  it  was  easy  to  see  that 
it  was  only  partly  completed. 

"Well,  how  goes  it,  dad?"  asked  the  youth,  as 
he  deposited  his  bundle  on  a  bench.  "Do  you 
think  you  can  make  it  work  ?" 

"I  think  so,  Tom.  The  positive  and  negative 
plates  are  giving  me  considerable  trouble,  though. 
But  I  guess  we  can  solve  the  problem.  Did  you 
bring  me  the  galvanometer?" 

"Yes,  and  all  the  other  things,"  and  the  young 


6       TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

inventor  proceeded  to  take  the  articles  from  the 
bundles  he  carried. 

Mr.  Swift  looked  them  over  carefully,  while 
Tom  walked  about  examining  the  submarine,  for 
such  was  the  queer  craft  that  was  contained  in 
the  shed.  He  noted  that  some  progress  had  been 
made  on  it  since  he  had  left  the  seacoast  several 
days  before  to  make  a  trip  to  Shopton,  in  New 
York  State,  where  the  Swift  home  was  located, 
after  some  tools  and  apparatus  that  his  father 
wanted  to  obtain  from  his  workshop  there. 

"You  and  Mr.  Jackson  have  put  on  several 
new  plates,"  observed  the  lad  after  a  pause. 

"Yes,"  admitted  his  father.  "Garret  and  I 
weren't  idle,  were  we,  Garret?"  and  he  nodded 
to  the  aged  engineer,  who  had  been  in  his  employ 
for  many  years. 

"No;  and  I  guess  we'll  soon  have  her  in  the 
water,  Tom,  now  that  you  and  Mr.  Sharp  are 
here  to  help  us,"  replied  Garret  Jackson. 

"We  ought  to  have  Mr.  Damon  here  to  bless 
the  submarine  and  his  liver  and  collar  buttons  a 
few  times,"  put  in  Mr.  Sharp,  who  brought  in 
another  bundle.  He  referred  to  an  eccentric  in-« 
dividual  who  had  recently  made  an  airship  voy- 
age with  himself  and  Tom,  Mr.  Damon's  pecul- 
iarity being  to  use  continually  such  expressions 
as :  "Bless  my  soul !  Bless  rny  liver !" 


NEWS  OF  A  TREASURE  WRECK  f 

"Well,  I'll  be  glad  when  we  can  make  a  trial 
trip,"  went  on  Tom.  "I've  traveled  pretty  fast 
on  land  with  my  motor-cycle,  and  we  certainly 
have  hummed  through  the  air.  Now  I  want  to 
see  how  it  feels  to  scoot  along  under  water." 

"Well,  if  everything  goes  well  we'll  be  in  a  po- 
sition to  make  a  trial  trip  inside  of  a  month/' 
remarked  the  aged  inventor.  "Look  here,  Mr. 
Sharp,  I  made  a  change  in  the  steering  gear, 
which  I'd  like  you  and  Tom  to  consider." 

The  three  walked  around  to  the  rear  of  the 
odd-looking  structure,  if  an  object  shaped  like 
a  cigar  can  be  said  to  have  a  front  and  rear,  and 
the  inventor,  his  son,  and  the  aeronaut  were  soon 
deep  in  a  discussion  of  the  technicalities  connected 
with  under-water  navigation. 

A  little  later  they  went  into  the  house,  in  re- 
sponse to  a  summons  from  the  supper  bell,  vigor- 
ously rung  by  Mrs.  Baggert.  She  was  not  fond 
of  waiting  with  meals,  and  even  the  most  serious 
problem  of  mechanics  was,  in  her  estimation,  as 
nothing  compared  with  having  the  soup  get  cold, 
or  the  possibility  of  not  having  the  meat  done  to 
a  turn. 

The  meal  was  interspersed  with  remarks  about 
the  recent  airship  flight  of  Tom  and  Mr.  Sharp, 
and  discussions  about  the  new  submarine.  This 
talk  went  on  even  after  the  table  was  cleared  off/ 


8       TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

and  the  three  had  adjourned  to  the  sitting-room. 
There  Mr.  Swift  brought  out  pencil  and  paper, 
and  soon  he  and  Mr.  Sharp  were  engrossed  in 
calculating  the  pressure  per  square  inch  of  sea, 
water  at  a  depth  of  three  miles. 

"Do  you  intend  to  go  as  deep  as  that?"  asked' 
?Tom,  looking  up  from  a  paper  he  was  reading. 

"Possibly/'  replied  his  father;  and  his  son  re- 
sumed his  perusal  of  the  sheet. 

"Now,"  went  on  the  inventor  to  the  aeronaut, 
"I  have  another  plan.  In  addition  to  the  positive 
and  negative  plates  which  will  form  our  motive 
power,  I  am  going  to  install  forward  and  aft 
propellers,  to  use  in  case  of  accident " 

"I  say,  dad !  Did  you  see  this  ?"  suddenly  ex- 
claimed Tom,  getting  up  from  his  chair,  and 
holding  his  finger  on  a  certain  place  in  the  page 
of  the  paper. 

"Did  I  see  what?"  asked  Mr.  Swift. 

"Why,  this  account  of  the  sinking  of  the 
treasure  ship." 

"Treasure  ship?    No.    Where?" 

"Listen,"  went  on  Tom.  "I'll  read  it :  'Fur- 
ther advices  from  Montevideo,  Uruguay,  SoutH 
America,  state  that  all  hope  has  been  given  up 
of  recovering  the  steamship  Boldero,  which  foun* 
dered  and  went  down  off  that  coast  in  the  recent 
gale.  Not  only  has  all  hope  been  abandoned  oi 


NEWS  OF  A  TREASURE  WRECK  9 

raising  the  vessel,  but  it  is  feared  that  no  part 
of  the  three  hundred  thousand  dollars  in  gold 
bullion  which  she  carried  will  ever  be  recovered. 
Expert  divers  who  were  taken  to  the  scene  of  the 
wreck  state  that  the  depth  of  water,  and  the  many 
currents  existing  there,  due  to  a  submerged  shoal, 
preclude  any  possibility  of  getting  at  the  hull.  The 
bullion,  it  is  believed,  was  to  have  been  used  to 
further  the  interests  of  a  certain  revolutionary 
faction,  but  it  seems  likely  that  they  will  have  to 
k>ok  elsewhere  for  the  sinews  of  war.  Besides 
the  bullion  the  ship  also  carried  several  cases  of 
rifles,  it  is  stated,  and  other  valuable  cargo.  The 
crew  and  what  few  passengers  the  Boldero  car- 
ried were,  contrary  to  the  first  reports,  all  saved 
by  taking  to  the  boats.  It  appears  that  some  of 
the  ship's  plates  were  sprung  by  the  stress  in 
which  she  labored  in  a  storm,  and  she  filled  and 
sank  gradually/  There!  what  do  you  think  of 
that,  dad?"  cried  Tom  as  he  finished. 

"What  do  I  think  of  it?  Why,  I  think  it's  too 
t>ad  for  the  revolutionists,  Tom,  of  course." 

"No;  I  mean  about  the  treasure  being  still 
on  board  the  ship.  What  about  that?" 

"Well,  it's  likely  to  stay  there,  if  the  divers 
<can't  get  at  it.  Now,  Mr.  Sharp,  about  the  pro- 
pellers  " 

"Wait,  dad !"  cried  Tom  earnestly. 


10     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

"Why,  Tom,  what's  the  matter?"  asked  Mr. 
Swift  in  some  surprise. 

"How  soon  before  we  can  finish  our  sub* 
marine?"  went  on  Tom,  not  answering  th» 
question. 

"About  a  month.     Why?" 

"Why  ?  Dad,  why  can't  we  have  a  try  for  that 
treasure?  It  ought  to  be  comparatively  easy  to 
find  that  sunken  ship  off  the  coast  of  Uruguay. 
In  our  submarine  we  can  get  close  up  to  it,  and 
in  the  new  diving  suits  you  invented  we  can  get 
at  that  gold  bullion.  Three  hundred  thousand 
dollars !  Think  of  it,  dad !  Three  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars!  We  could  easily  claim  all  of  it, 
since  the  owners  have  abandoned  it,  but  we  would 
be  satisfied  with  half.  Let's  hurry  up,  finish  the 
submarine,  and  have  a  try  for  it." 

"But,  Tom,  you  forget  that  I  am  to  enter  my 
new  ship  in  the  trials  for  the  prize  offered  by  the 
United  States  Government." 

"How  much  is  the  prize  if  you  win  it?"  asked 
Tom. 

"Fifty  thousand  dollars." 

"Well,  here's  a  chance  to  make  three  times  that 
much  at  least,  and  maybe  more.  Dad,  let  th« 
Government  prize  go,  and  try  for  the  treasure. 
Will  you?" 

Tom  looked  eagerly  at  his  father,  his  eyes  shin- 


NEWS  OF  A  TREASURE  WRECK.  If 

ing  with  anticipation.  Mr.  Swift  was  not  a  quick 
thinker,  but  the  idea  his  son  had  proposed  made 
an  impression  on  him.  He  reached  out  his  hand 
for  the  paper  in  which  the  young  inventor  had 
seen  the  account  of  the  sunken  treasure.  Slowly 
he  read  it  through.  Then  he  passed  it  to  Mr, 
Sharp. 

"What  do  you  think  of  it?"  he  asked  of  the 
aeronaut. 

"There's  a  possibility,"  remarked  the  balloon- 
ist. "We  might  try  for  it.  We  can  easily  go 
three  miles  down,  and  it  doesn't  lie  as  deeply  as 
that,  if  this  account  is  true.  Yes,  we  might  try 
for  it.  But  we'd  have  to  omit  the  Government 
contests." 

"Will  you,  dad?"  asked  Tom  again. 

Mr.  Swift  considered  a  moment  longer. 

"Yes,  Tom,  I  will,"  he  finally  decided.  "Going 
after  the  treasure  will  be  likely  to  afford  us  a 
better  test  of  the  submarine  than  would  any  Gov- 
ernment tests.  We'll  try  to  locate  the  sunken 
Boldero." 

"Hurrah !"  cried  the  lad,  taking  the  papei  from 
Mr.  Sharp  and  waving  it  in  the  air.  "That's  the 
stuff!  Now  for  a  search  for  the  submarine 
treasure !" 


CHAPTER  II 

FINISHING  THE  SUBMARINE 

"WHAT'S  the  matter?"  cried  Mrs.  Baggert,  tlie 
housekeeper,  hurrying  in  from  the  kitchen,  where 
she  was  washing  the  dishes.  "Have  you  seen 
some  of  those  scoundrels  who  robbed  you,  Mr. 
Swift?  If  you  have,  the  police  down  here  ought 

"No,  it's  nothing  like  that,"  explained  Mr. 
Swift.  "Tom  has  merely  discovered  in  the  paper 
an  account  of  a  sunken  treasure  ship,  and  he 
wants  us  to  go  after  it,  down  under  the  ocean." 

"Oh,  dear !  Some  more  of  Captain  Kidd's  hid- 
den hoard,  I  suppose  ?"  ventured  the  housekeeper. 
"Don't  you  bother  with  it,  Mr.  Swift.  I  had  a 
cousin  once,  and  he  got  set  in  the  notion  that  he 
knew  where  that  pirate's  treasure  was.  He  spent 
all  the  money  he  had  and  all  he  could  borrow 
digging  for  it,  and  he  never  found  a  penny.  Don't 
waste  your  time  on  such  foolishness.  It's  bad 
enough  to  be  building  airships  and  submarines, 

12 


FINISHING  THE  SUBMARINE  13 

without  going  after  treasure."  Mrs.  Baggert 
spoke  with  the  freedom  of  an  old  friend  rather 
than  a  hired  housekeeper,  but  she  had  been  in 
the  family  ever  since  Tom's  mother  died,  when  he 
was  a  baby,  and  she  had  many  privileges. 

"Oh,  this  isn't  any  of  Kidd's  treasure,"  Tom 
assured  her.  "If  we  get  it,  Mrs.  Baggert,  I'll 
buy  you  a  diamond  ring." 

"Humph!"  she  exclaimed,  as  Tom  began  to 
hug  her  in  boyish  fashion.  "I  guess  /'//  have  to 
buy  all  the  diamond  rings  I  want,  if  I  have  to 
depend  on  your  treasure  for  them,"  and  she  went 
back  to  the  kitchen. 

"Well,"  went  on  Mr.  Swift  after  a  pause,  "if 
we  are  going  into  the  treasure-hunting  business, 
Tom,  we'll  have  to  get  right  to  work.  In  the 
first  place,  we  must  find  out  more  about  this  ship, 
and  just  where  it  was  sunk." 

"I  can  do  that  part,"  said  Mr.  Sharp.  "I  know 
some  sea  captains,  and  they  can  put  me  on  the 
track  of  locating  the  exact  spot.  In  fact,  it  might 
not  be  a  bad  idea  to  take  an  expert  navigator 
with  us.  I  can  manage  in  the  air  all  right,  but 
I  confess  that  working  out  a  location  under  water 
is  beyond  me." 

"Yes,  an  old  sea  captain  wouldn't  be  a  bad 
idea,  by  any  means,"  conceded  Mr.  Swift.  "Well» 
if  you'll  attend  to  that  detail,  Mr.  Sharp,  Ton*, 


14     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

Mr.  Jackson  and  I  will  finish  the  submarine.  Most 
of  the  work  is  done,  however,  and  it  only  remains 
to  install  the  engine  and  motors.  Now,  in  regard 
to  the  negative  and  positive  electric  plates,  I'd 
like  your  opinion,  Tom." 

For  Tom  Swift  was  an  inventor,  second  in 
ability  only  to  his  father,  and  his  advice  was  often 
sought  by  his  parent  on  matters  of  electrical  con- 
struction, for  the  lad  had  made  a  specialty  of 
that  branch  of  science. 

While  father  and  son  were  deep  in  a  discus- 
sion of  the  apparatus  of  the  submarine,  there  will 
be  an  opportunity  to  make  the  reader  a  little  bet- 
ter acquainted  with  them.  Those  of  you  who 
have  read  the  previous  volumes  of  this  series  do 
not  need  to  be  told  who  Tom  Swift  is.  Others, 
however,  may  be  glad  to  have  a  proper  intro- 
duction to  him. 

Tom  Swift  lived  with  his  father,  Barton  Swift, 
in  the  village  of  Shopton,  New  York.  The  Swift 
home  was  on  the  outskirts  of  the  town,  and  the 
large  house  was  surrounded  by  a  number  of  ma- 
chine shops,  in  which  father  and  son,  aided  by 
Garret  Jackson,  the  engineer,  did  their  experi- 
mental and  constructive  work.  Their  house  was 
not  far  from  Lake  Carlopa,  a  fairly  large  body  of 
water,  on  which  Tom  often  speeded  his  motor- 
feoat 


FINISHING  THE  SUBMARINE  13 

In  the  first  volume  of  this  series,  entitled  "Tom 
Swift  and  His  Motor-Cycle/'  it  was  told  how  he 
became  acquainted  with  Mr.  Wakefield  Damon, 
who  suffered  an  accident  while  riding  one  of  the 
speedy  machines.  The  accident  disgusted  Mr. 
Damon  with  motor-cycles,  and  Tom  secured  it 
for  a  low  price.  He  had  many  adventures  on  it, 
chief  among  which  was  being  knocked  senseless 
and  robbed  of  a  valuable  patent  model  belonging 
to  his  father,  which  he  was  taking  to  Albany.  The 
attack  was  committed  by  a  gang  known  as  the 
Happy  Harry  gang,  who  were  acting  at  the  in- 
stigation of  a  syndicate  of  rich  men,  who  wanted 
to  secure  control  of  a  certain  patent  turbine  engine 
which  Mr.  Swift  had  invented. 

Tom  set  out  in  pursuit  of  the  thieves,  after 
recovering  from  their  attack,  and  had  a  strenuous 
time  before  he  located  them. 

In  the  second  volume,  entitled  "Tom  Swift  and 
His  Motor-Boat/'  there  was  related  our  hero's 
adventures  in  a  fine  craft  which  was  recovered 
from  the  thieves  and  sold  at  auction.  There  was 
a  mystery  connected  with  the  boat,  and  for  a 
long  time  Tom  could  not  solve  it.  He  was  aided, 
however,  by  his  chum,  Ned  Newton,  who  worked 
in  the  Shop  ton  Bank,  and  also  by  Mr.  Damon  and 
Eradicate  Sampson,  an  aged  colored  whitewasher, 
who  formed  quite  an  attachment  for  Tom. 


16     TOM  SWIFT  'AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

In  his  motor-boat  Tom  had  more  than  one 
race  with  Andy  Foger,  a  rich  lad  of  Shopton,  who 
was  a  sort  of  bully.  He  had  red  hair  and  squinty 
eyes,  and  was  as  mean  in  character  as  he  was  in 
looks.  He  and  his  cronies,  Sam  Snedecker  and 
Pete  Bailey,  made  trouble  for  Tom,  chiefly  be- 
cause Tom  managed  to  beat  Andy  twice  in  boat 
races. 

It  was  while  in  his  motor-boat,  "Arrow,  that 
iTom  formed  the  acquaintance  of  John  Sharp,  a 
veteran  balloonist.  While  coming  down  Lake 
Carlopa  on  the  way  to  the  Swift  home,  whicK 
had  been  entered  by  thieves,  Tom,  his  father  and 
Ned  Newton,  saw  a  balloon  on  fire  over  the 
lake.  Hanging  from  a  trapeze  on  it  was  Mr. 
Sharp,  who  had  made  an  ascension  from  a  fair 
ground.  By  hard  work  on  the  part  of  Tom  and 
his  friends  the  aeronaut  was  saved,  and  took  up 
his  residence  with  the  Swifts. 

His  advent  was  most  auspicious,  for  Tom  an3 
his  father  were  then  engaged  in  perfecting  an 
airship,  and  Mr.  Sharp  was  able  to  lend  them 
his  skill,  so  that  the  craft  was  soon  constructed. 

In  the  third  volume,  called  "Tom  Swift  and 
His  Airship,"  there  was  set  down  the  doings  of 
the  young  inventor,  Mr.  Sharp  and  Mr.  Damon 
on  a  trip  above  the  clouds.  They  undertook  it 
merely  for  pleasure,  but  they  encountered  coo- 


FINISHING  THE  SUBMARINE  fy 

siderable  danger  before  they  completed  it,  for 
they  nearly  fell  into  a  blazing  forest  once,  and 
were  later  fired  at  by  a  crowd  of  excited  people. 
This  last  act  was  to  effect  their  capture,  for  they 
were  taken  for  a  gang  of  bank  robbers,  and  this 
was  due  directly  to  Andy  Foger. 

The  morning  after  Tom  and  his  friends  started 
on  their  trip  in  the  air,  the  Shopton  Bank  was 
found  to  have  been  looted  of  seventy-five  thou- 
sand dollars.  Andy  Foger  at  once  told  the  police 
that  Tom  Swift  had  taken  the  money,  and  when 
asked  how  he  knew  this,  he  said  he  had  seen  Tom 
hanging  around  the  bank  the  night  before  the 
vault  was  burst  open,  and  that  the  young  inventor 
had  some  burglar  tools  in  his  possession.  War- 
rants were  at  once  sworn  out  for  Tom  and  Mr. 
Damon,  who  was  also  accused  of  being  one  of 
the  robbers,  and  a  reward  of  five  thousand  dollars 
was  offered. 

Tom,  Mr.  Damon  and  Mr.  Sharp  sailed  on,  all 
unaware  of  this,  and  unable  to  account  for  being 
fired  upon,  until  they  accidentally  read  in  the 
paper  an  account  of  their  supposed  misdeeds. 
They  lost  no  time  in  starting  back  home,  and  on{ 
the  way  got  on  the  track  of  the  real  bank  robbers, 
who  were  members  of  the  Happy  Harry  gang. 

How  the  robbers  were  captured  in  an  exciting 
raid,  how  Tom  recovered  most  of  the  stolen. 


18     TOM  SWIFY  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

money,  and  how  he  gave  Andy  Foger  a  deserved 
thrashing  for  giving  a  false  clue  was  told  of, 
and  there  was  an  account  of  a  race  in  which  the 
Red  Cloud  (as  the  airship  was  called)  took  part, 
\as  well  as  details  of  how  Tom  and  his  friends 
secured  the  reward,  which  Andy  Foger  hoped  to 
collect. 

Those  of  you  who  care  to  know  how  the  Red 
Cloud  was  constructed,  and  how  she  behaved  in 
the  air,  even  during  accidents  and  when  struck 
by  lightning,  may  learn  by  reading  the  third 
volume,  for  the  airship  was  one  of  the  most  suc- 
cessful ever  constructed. 

When  the  craft  was  finished,  and  the  navigators 
were  ready  to  start  on  their  first  long  trip,  Mr. 
Swift  was  asked  to  go  with  them.  He  declined, 
but  would  not  tell  why,  until  Tom,  pressing  him 
for  an  answer,  learned  that  his  father  was  plan- 
ning a  submarine  boat,  which  he  hoped  to  enter 
in  some  trials  for  Government  prizes.  Mr.  Swift 
remained  at  home  to  work  on  this  submarine, 
while  his  son  and  Mr.  Sharp  were  sailing  above 
the  clouds. 

On  their  return,  however,  and  after  the  bank 
mystery  had  been  cleared  up,  Tom  and  Mr.  Sharp 
aided  Mr.  Swift  in  completing  the  submarine, 
until,  when  the  present  story  opens,  it  needed  but 


FINISHING  THE  SUBMARINE  ig 

little  additional  work  to  make  the  craft  ready  for 
the  water. 

Of  course  it  had  to  be  built  near  the  sea,  as  it 
would  have  been  impossible  to  transport  it  over-* 
land  from  Shopton.  So,  before  the  keel  was* 
laid,  Mr.  Swift  rented  a  large  cottage  at  a  se- 
cluded place  on  the  New  Jersey  coast  and  there, 
after  erecting  a  large  shed,  the  work  on  the 
Advance,  as  the  tinder-water  ship  was  called,  was 
begun. 

It  was  soon  to  be  launched  in  a  large  creek 
that  extended  in  from  the  ocean  and  had  plenty 
of  water  at  high  tide.  Tom  and  Mr.  Sharp  made 
several  trips  back  and  forth  from  Shopton  in 
their  airship,  to  see  that  all  was  safe  at  home  and 
occasionally  to  get  needed  tools  and  supplies  from 
the  shops,  for  not  all  the  apparatus  could  be  move** 
from  Shopton  to  the  coast. 

It  was  when  returning  from  one  of  these  trips 
that  Tom  brought  with  him  the  paper  containing 
an  account  of  the  wreck  of  the  Boldero  and  the 
sinking  of  the  treasure  she  carried. 

Until  late  that  night  the  three  fortune-hunters 
iiiscusstd  various  matters. 

"We'll  hurry  work  on  the  ship,"  said  Mr.  Swift 
at  length.  "Tom,  I  wonder  if  your  friend,  Mr. 
Damon,  would  care  to  try  how  it  seems  under 
water?  He  stood  the  air  trip  fairly  well* 


SO    TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

"I'll  write  and  ask  him/'  answered  the  lad 
"I'm  sure  he'll  go." 

Securing,  a  few  days  later,  the  assistance  of 
two  mechanics,  whom  he  knew  he  could  trust, 
for  as  yet  the  construction  of  the  Advance  was  a 
secret,  Mr.  Swift  prepared  to  rush  work  on  the 
submarine,  and  for  the  next  three  weeks  there 
were  busy  times  in  the  shed  next  to  the  seaside 
cottage.  So  busy,  in  fact,  were  Tom  and  Mr. 
Sharp,  that  they  only  found  opportunity  for  one 
trip  in  the  airship,  and  that  was  to  get  some  sup- 
plies from  the  shops  at  home. 

"Well,"  remarked  Mr.  Swift  one  night,  at  the 
close  of  a  hard  day's  work,  "another  week  will 
see  our  craft  completed.  Then  we  will  put  it  in 
the  water  and  see  how  it  floats,  and  whether  it 
submerges  as  I  hope  it  does.  But  come  on,  Tom. 
I  want  to  lock  up.  I'm  very  tired  to-night." 

"All  right,  dad,"  answered  the  young  inventor, 
coming  from  the  darkened  rear  of  the  shop.  "I 
just  want  to " 

He  paused  suddenly,  and  appeared  to  be  lis- 
tening. Then  he  moved  softly  back  to  where  he 
had  come  from. 

"What's  the  matter?"  asked  his  father  in  a 
whisper.  "What's  up,  Tom  ?" 

(The  lad  did  not  answer.     Mr.  Swift,  with  a 


FINISHING  THE  SUBMARINE  21 

worried  look  on  his  face,  followed  his  son.    Mr. 
Sharp  stood  in  the  door  of  the  shop. 

"I  thought  I  heard  some  one  moving  around 
back  here,"  went  on  Tom  quietly. 

"Some  one  in  this  shop!"  exclaimed  the  aged 
inventor  excitedly.  "Some  one  trying  to  steal 
my  ideas  again !  Mr.  Sharp,  come  here !  Bring 
that  rifle !  We'll  teach  these  scoundrels  a  lesson !" 

Tom  quickly  darted  back  to  the  extreme  rear  of 
the  building.  There  was  a  scuffle,  and  the  next 
minute  Tom  cried  out: 

"What  are  you  doing  here?" 

"Ha !  I  beg  your  pardon,"  replied  a  voice.  "I 
am  looking  for  Mr.  Barton  Swift." 

"My  father,"  remarked  Tom.  "But  that's  a 
queer  place  to  look  for  him.  He's  up  front. 
Father,  here's  a  man  who  wishes  to  see  you," 
he  called. 

"Yes,  I  strolled  in,  and  seeing  no  one  about  I 
Went  to  the  rear  of  the  place,"  the  voice  went  on. 
'"I  hope  I  haven't  transgressed." 

"We  were  busy  on  the  other  side  of  the  shop, 
1  guess,"  replied  Tom,  and  he  looked  suspiciously 
at  the  man  who  emerged  from  the  darkness  into 
the  light  from  a  window.  "I  beg  your  pardon 
for  grabbing  you  the  way  I  did,"  went  on  the 
lad,  "but  I  thought  you  were  one  of  a  gang  of 
men  we've  been  having  trouble  with." 


22     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

"Oh,  that's  all  right/*  continued  the  man  easily. 
"I  know  Mr.  Swift,  and  I  think  he  will  remember 
me.  Ah,  Mr.  Swift,  how  do  you  do?"  he  added 
quickly,  catching  sight  of  Tom's  father,  who, 
with  Mr.  Sharp,  was  coming  to  meet  the  lad. 

"Addison  Berg!"  exclaimed  the  aged  inventor 
as  he  saw  the  man's  face  more  plainly.  "What 
are  you  doing  here?" 

"I  came  to  see  you,"  replied  the  man.  "May 
I  have  a  talk  with  you  privately?" 

"I — I  suppose  so,"  assented  Mr.  Swift  nerv* 
ously.  "Come  into  the  house." 

Mr.  Berg  left  Tom's  side  and  advanced  to 
where  Mr.  Swift  was  standing.  Together  the 
two  emerged  from  the  now  fast  darkening  shop 
and  went  toward  the  house. 

"Who  is  he?"  asked  Mr.  Sharp  of  the  young 
inventor  in  a  whisper. 

"I  don't  know,"  replied  the  lad;  "but,  whoever 
he  is,  dad  seems  afraid  of  him.  I'm  going  t<5 
keep  my  eyes  open." 


CHAPTER  III 

MR.   BERG  IS  ASTONISHED 

FOLLOWING  his  father  and  the  stranger,  whom 
the  aged  inventor  had  addressed  as  Mr.  Berg, 
Tom  and  Mr.  Sharp  entered  the  house,  the  lad 
having  first  made  sure  that  Garret  Jackson  was 
on  guard  in  the  shop  that  contained  the  sub- 
marine. 

"Now,"  said  Mr.  Swift  to  the  newcomer,  "I 
am  at  your  service.  What  is  it  you  wish?" 

"In  the  first  place,  let  me  apologize  for  having 
startled  you  and  your  friends,"  began  the  man. 
"I  had  no  idea  of  sneaking  into  your  workshop, 
but  I  had  just  arrived  here,  and  seeing  the  doors 
open  I  went  in.  I  heard  no  one  about,  and  I 
wandered  to  the  back  of  the  place.  There  I  hap- 
pened to  stumble  over  a  board " 

"And  I  heard  you,"  interrupted  Tom. 

"Is  this  one  of  your  employes  ?"  asked  Mr.  Berg 
in  rather  frigid  tones. 

"That  is  my  son,"  replied  Mr.  Swift 
23 


24     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

"Oh,  I  beg  your  pardon."  The  man's  manner 
changed  quickly.  "Well,  I  guess  you  did  hear  me, 
young  man.  I  didn't  intend  to  bark  my  shins  the 
way  I  did,  either.  You  must  have  taken  me  for 
a  burglar  or  a  sneak  thief." 

"I  have  been  very  much  bothered  by  a  gang  of 
unscrupulous  men,"  said  Mr.  Swift,  "and  I  sup- 
pose Tom  thought  it  was  some  of  them  sneaking 
around  again." 

"That's  what  I  did,"  added  the  lad.  "I  wasn't 
going  to  have  any  one  steal  the  secret  of  the 
submarine  if  I  could  help  it." 

"Quite  right!  Quite  right!"  exclaimed  Mr. 
Berg.  "But  my  purpose  was  an  open  one.  As 
you  know,  Mr.  Swift,  I  represent  the  firm  oi 
Bentley  &  Eagert,  builders  of  submarine  boats  and 
torpedoes.  They  heard  that  you  were  construct- 
ing a  craft  to  take  part  in  the  competitive  prize 
tests  of  the  United  States  Government,  and  they 
asked  me  to  come  and  see  you  to  learn  when  your 
ship  would  be  ready.  Ours  is  completed,  but  we 
recognize  that  it  will  be  for  the  best  interests  of 
all  concerned  if  there  are  a  number  of  contestants, 
and  my  firm  did  not  want  to  send  in  their  entry 
until  they  knew  that  you  were  about  finished  with 
your  ship.  How  about  it?  Are  you  ready  to 
compete?" 

"Yes,"  said  Mr.  Swift  slowly.    "We  are  about 


MR.  BERG  IS  ASTONISHED  2$ 

ready.  My  craft  needs  a  few  finishing  touches, 
and  then  it  will  be  ready  to  launch." 

"Then  we  may  expect  a  good  contest  on  your 
part,"  suggested  Mr.  Berg. 

"Well,"  began  the  aged  inventor,  "I  don't  know 
about  that." 

"What's  that?"  exclaimed  Mr.  Berg. 

"I  said  I  wasn't  quite  sure  that  we  would  com- 
pete," went  on  Mr.  Swift.  "You  see,  when  I 
first  got  this  idea  for  a  submarine  boat  I  had  it 
in  mind  to  try  for  the  Government  prize  of  fifty 
thousand  Collars." 

"That's  what  we  want,  too,"  interrupted  Mr. 
'Berg  with  a  smile. 

"But,"  went  on  Tom's  father,  "since  then  cer- 
tain matters  have  come  up,  and  I  think,  on  the 
Whole,  that  we'll  not  compete  for  the  prize  after 
all." 

"Not  compete  for  the  prize?"  almost  shouted 
the  agent  for  Bentley  &  Eagert.  "Why,  the  idea ! 
You  ought  to  compete.  It  is  good  for  the  trade. 
We  think  we  have  a  very  fine  craft,  and  probably 
we  would  beat  you  in  the  tests,  but " 

"I  wouldn't  be  too  sure  of  that,"  put  in  Tom. 
"You  have  only  seen  the  outside  of  our  boat.  The 
inside  is  better  yet." 

"Ah,  I  have  no  doubt  of  that,"  spoke  Mr.  Berg, 
"but  we  have  been  at  the  business  longer  thac 


26     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT      * 

you  have,  and  have  had  more  experience.  Still 
we  welcome  competition.  But  I  am  very  much 
surprised  that  you  are  not  going  to  compete  for 
the  prize,  Mr.  Swift.  Very  much  surprised,  in- 
deed! You  see,  I  came  down  from  Philadelphia 
to  arrange  so  that  we  could  both  enter  our  ships 
at  the  same  time.  I  understand  there  is  another 
firm  of  submarine  boat  builders  who  are  going 
to  try  for  the  prize,  and  I  want  to  arrange  a 
date  that  will  be  satisfactory  to  all.  I  am  greatly 
astonished  that  you  are  not  going  to  compete." 

"Well,  we  were  going  to,"  said  Mr.  Swift, 
"only  we  have  changed  our  minds,  that's  all.  My 
son  and  I  have  other  plans." 

"May  I  ask  what  they  are?"  questioned  Mr. 
Berg. 

"You  may,"  exclaimed  Tom  quickly;  "but  I 
clon't  believe  we  can  tell  you.  They're  a  secret/* 
he  added  more  cordially. 

"Oh,  I  see,"  retorted  Mr.  Berg.  "Well,  of 
course  I  don't  wish  to  penetrate  any  of  your 
secrets,  but  I  hoped  we  could  contest  together  for 
the  Government  prize.  It  is  worth  trying  for, 
I  assure  you — fifty  thousand  dollars.  Besides^ 
there  is  the  possibility  of  selling  a  number  ol 
submarines  to  the  United  States.  It's  a  fine 
prize." 

"But  the  one  we  are  after  is  a  bigger  one,"  cried 


MR.  BERG  IS  ASTONISHED  27 

ITom  impetuously,  and  the  moment  he  had  spoken 
lie  wished  he  could  recall  the  words. 

"Eh?  What's  that?"  exclaimed  Mr.  Berg, 
**You  don't  mean  to  say  another  government  has 
offered  a  larger  prize?  If  I  had  known  that  I 
Would  not  have  let  my  firm  enter  into  the  compe- 
tition for  the  bonus  offered  by  the  United  States, 
Please  tell  me " 

"I'm  sorry,"  went  on  Tom  more  soberly.  "I 
Shouldn't  have  spoken.  Mr.  Berg,  the  plans  of 
my  father  and  myself  are  such  that  we  can't  reveal 
them  now.  We  are  going  to  try  for  a  prize,  but 
not  in  competition  with  you.  It's  an  entirely 
different  matter." 

"Well,  I  guess  you'll  find  that  the  firm  of 
Bentley  &  Eagert  are  capable  of  trying  for  any 
prizes  that  are  offered,"  boasted  the  agent  "We 
may  be  competitors  yet." 

"I  don't  believe  so,"  replied  Mr.  Swift. 

"We  may,"  repeated  Mr.  Berg.  "And  if  we 
do,  please  remember  that  we  will  show  no  mercy. 
Our  boats  are  the  best." 

"And  may  the  best  boat  win,"  interjected  Mr. 
Sharp.  "That's  all  we  ask.  A  fair  field  and  no 
favors." 

"Of  course,"  spoke  the  agent  coldly.  "Is  this 
another  son  of  yours?"  he  asked. 

"No,  but  a  p-ood  friend,"  replied  the  aged  in- 


28     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

ventor.    "No,  Mr.  Berg,  we  won't  compete  this 
time.    You  may  tell  your  firm  so." 

"Very  good,"  was  the  other's  stiff  reply.  "Then 
I  will  bid  you  good  night.  We  shall  carry  off  the 
Government  prize,  but  permit  me  to  add  that  I 
am  very  much  astonished,  very  much  indeed,  that 
you  do  not  try  for  the  prize.  From  what  I  hav$ 
seen  of  your  submarine  you  have  a  very  good 
one,  almost  as  good,  in  some  respects,  as  ours. 
I  bid  you  good  night,"  and  with  a  bow  the  mafi 
left  the  room  and  hurried  away  from  the  house* 


CHAPTER  IV 

TOM    IS    IMPRISONED 

"WELL,  I  must  say  he's  a  cool  one/'  remarked 
Tom,  as  the  echoes  of  Mr.  Berg's  steps  died 
away.  "The  idea  of  thinking  his  boat  better  than 
ours !  I  don't  like  that  man,  dad.  I'm  suspicious 
of  him.  Do  you  think  he  came  here  to  steal 
some  of  our  ideas?" 

"No,  I  hardly  believe  so,  my  son.  But  how 
did  you  discover  him  ?" 

"Just  as  you  saw,  dad.  I  heard  a  noise  and 
went  back  there  to  investigate.  I  found  him 
sneaking  around,  looking  at  the  electric  propeller 
plates.  I  went  to  grab  him  just  as  he  stumbled 
over  a  board.  At  first  I  thought  it  was  one  of 
the  old  gang.  I'm  almost  sure  he  was  trying  to 
discover  something." 

"No,  Tom.  Th«e  firm  he  works  for  are  good 
business  men,  and  they  would  not  countenance 
anything  like  that  They  are  heartless  competi- 
tors, however,  and  if  they  saw  a  legitimate  charx** 


30     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

to  get  ahead  of  me  and  take  advantage,  they 
would  do  it.     But  they  would  not  sneak  in  to 
steal  my  ideas.    I  feel  sure  of  that.    Besides,  they 
have  a  certain  type  of  submarine  which  they 
think  is  the  best  ever  invented,  and  they  would 
hardly  change  at  this  late  day.     They  feel  sure 
of  winning  the  Government  prize,  and  I'm  just 
as  glad  we're  not  going  to  have  a  contest." 
"Do  you  think  our  boat  is  better  than  theirs?'5 
'"Much  better,  in  many  respects." 
"I  don't  like  that  man  Berg,  though,"  wem 
on  Tom. 

"Nor  do  I,"  added  his  father.  "There  is  some- 
thing strange  about  him.  He  was  very  anxious 
that  I  should  compete.  Probably  he  thought  his 
firm's  boat  would  go  so  far  ahead  of  ours  that 
they  would  get  an  extra  bonus.  But  I'm  glad 
he  didn't  see  our  new  method  of  propulsion.  That 
is  the  principal  improvement  in  the  Advance  over 
other  types  of  submarines.  Well,  another  week 
and  we  will  be  ready  for  the  test." 

"Have  you  known  Mr.  Berg  long,  dad?" 
"Not  very.  I  met  him  in  Washington  when  I 
was  in  the  patent  office.  He  was  taking  out  papers 
on  a  submarine  for  his  firm  at  the  same  time  I 
got  mine  for  the  Advance.  It  is  rather  curious 
that  he  should  come  all  the  way  here  from  Phila- 
delphia, merely  to  see  if  I  was  going  to  compete* 


TOM  IS  IMPRISONED  3$ 

There  is  something  strange  about  it,  something 
that  I  can't  understand." 

The  time  was  to  come  when  Mr.  Swift  and  his 
son  were  to  get  at  the  bottom  of  Mr.  Berg's  rea- 
sons, and  they  learned  to  their  sorrow  that  he 
had  penetrated  some  of  their  secrets. 

Before  going  to  bed  that  night  Tom  and  Mr. 
Sharp  paid  a  visit  to  the  shed  where  the  sub- 
marine was  resting  on  the  ways,  ready  for  launch- 
ing. They  found  Mr.  Jackson  on  guard  and  the 
engineer  said  that  no  one  had  been  around.  Nor 
was  anything  found  disturbed. 

"It  certainly  is  a  great  machine,"  remarked  the 
lad  as  he  looked  up  at  the  cigar-shaped  bulk  tow- 
ering over  his  head.  "Dad  has  outdone  himself 
this  trip." 

"It  looks  all  right,"  commented  Mr.  Sharp, 
"Whether  it  will  work  is  another  question." 

"Yes,  we  can't  tell  until  it's  in  the  water,"  con- 
ceded Tom.  "But  I  hope  it  does.  Dad  ha? 
spent  much  time  and  money  on  it." 

The  Advance  was,  as  her  name  indicated,  much 
in  advance  of  previous  submarines.  There  was 
not  so  much  difference  in  outward  construction 
as  there  was  in  the  means  of  propulsion  and  in 
the  manner  in  which  the  interior  and  the  ma- 
chinery were  arranged. 

The  submarine  planned  by  Mr.  Swift  and  TO.IU 


3$     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

jointly,  and  constructed  by  them,  with  the  aid  of 
Mr.  Sharp  and  Mr.  Jackson,  was  shaped  like  a 
cigar,  over  one  hundred  feet  long  and  twenty 
feet  in  diameter  at  the  thickest  part.  It  was 
divided  into  many  compartments,  all  water-tight, 
so  that  if  one  or  even  three  were  flooded  the  ship 
would  still  be  useable. 

Buoyancy  was  provided  for  by  having  several 
tanks  for  the  introduction  of  compressed  air,  and 
there  was  an  emergency  arrangement  so  that  a 
collapsible  aluminum  container  could  be  distended 
and  filled  with  a  powerful  gas.  This  was  to  be 
used  if,  by  any  means,  the  ship  was  disabled  on 
the  bottom  of  the  ocean.  The  container  could 
be  expanded  and  filled,  and  would  send  the 
'Advance  to  the  surface. 

Another  peculiar  feature  was  that  the  engine- 
room,  dynamos  and  other  appartus  were  all  con- 
tained amidships.  This  gave  stability  to  the  craft, 
and  also  enabled  the  same  engine  to  operate  both 
shafts  and  propellers,  as  well  as  both  the  negative 
forward  electrical  plates,  and  the  positive  rear 
tnes. 

These  plates  were  a  new  idea  in  submarine 
construction,  and  were  the  outcome  of  an  idea  of 
Mr.  Swift,  with  some  suggestions  from  his  son. 

The  aged  inventor  did  not  want  to  depend  on 
the  usual  screw  propellers  for  his  craft,  npr  did 


TOM  IS  IMPRISONED  33 

lie  want  to  use  a  jet  of  compressed  air,  shooting 
out  from  a  rear  tube,  nor  yet  a  jet  of  water,  by 
means  of  which  the  creature  called  the  squid 
shoots  himself  along.  Mr.  Swift  planned  to  send 
the  Advance  along  under  water  by  means  of  elec- 
tricity. 

Certain  peculiar  plates  were  built  at  the  for- 
ward and  aft  blunt  noses  of  the  submarine.  Into 
the  forward  plate  a  negative  charge  of  electricity 
was  sent,  and  into  the  one  at  the  rear  a  positive 
charge,  just  as  one  end  of  a  horseshoe  magnet  is 
positive  and  will  repel  the  north  end  of  a  com- 
pass needle,  while  the  other  pole  of  a  magnet  is 
negative  and  will  attract  it.  In  electricity  like 
repels  like,  while  negative  and  positive  have  a 
mutual  attraction  for  each  other. 

Mr.  Swift  figured  out  that  if  he  could  send  a 
powerful  current  of  negative  electricity  into  the 
forward  plate  it  would  pull  the  boat  along,  for 
water  is  a  good  conductor  of  electricity,  while 
if  a  positive  charge  was  sent  into  the  rear  plate 
it  would  serve  to  push  the  submarine  along,  and 
he  would  thus  get  a  pulling  and  pushing  motion, 
just  as  a  forward  and  aft  propeller  works  on 
some  ferry  boats. 

But  the  inventor  did  not  depend  on  these  plates 
alone.  There  were  auxiliary  forward  and  aft 
propellers  of  the  regular  type,  so  that  if  the 


34     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

electrical  plates  did  not  work,  or  got  out  of  order, 
the  screws  would  serve  to  send  the  Advance  along. 

There  was  much  machinery  in  the  submarine. 
There  were  gasolene  motors,  since  space  was  too 
cramped  to  allow  the  carrying  of  coal  for  boilers. 
There  were  dynamos,  motors  and  powerful  pumps. 
Some  of  these  were  for  air,  and  some  for  water. 
To  sink  the  submarine  below  the  surface  large 
tanks  were  filled  with  water.  To  insure  a  more 
sudden  descent,  deflecting  rudders  were  also  used, 
similar  to  those  on  an  airship.  There  were  also 
special  air  pumps,  and  one  for  the  powerful  gas, 
which  was  manufactured  on  board. 

Forward  from  the  engine-room  was  a  cabin, 
where  meals  could  be  served,  and  where  the  trav- 
elers could  remain  in  the  daytime.  There  was 
also  a  small  cooking  galley,  or  kitchen,  there. 
Back  of  the  engine-room  were  the  sleeping  quar- 
ters and  the  storerooms.  The  submarine  was 
steered  from  the  forward  compartment,  and  here 
were  also  levers,  wheels  and  valves  that  controlled 
all  the  machinery,  while  a  number  of  dials  showed 
in  which  direction  they  were  going,  how  deep 
they  were,  and  at  what  speed  they  were  moving, 
as  well  as  what  the  ocean  pressure  was. 

On  top,  forward,  was  a  small  conning,  or  ob- 
servation tower,  with  auxiliary  and  steering  and 
controlling  apparatus  there.  This  was  to  be  used 


TOM  IS  IMPRISONED  3$ 

when  the  ship  was  moving  along  on  the  surface 
of  the  ocean,  or  merely  with  the  deck  awash. 
There  was  a  small  flat  deck  surrounding  the  con- 
ning tower,  and  this  was  available  when  the  craft 
was  on  the  surface. 

There  was  provision  made  for  leaving  the  ship 
when  it  was  on  the  bed  of  the  ocean.  When  it 
was  desired  to  do  this  the  occupants  put  on  diving 
suits,  which  were  provided  with  portable  oxygen 
tanks.  Then  they  entered  a  chamber  into  which 
water  was  admitted  until  it  was  equal  in  pressure 
to  that  outside.  Then  a  steel  door  was  opened, 
and  they  could  step  out.  To  re-enter  the  ship 
the  operation  was  reversed.  This  was  not  a  new 
feature.  In  fact,  many  submarines  to-day  use  it 

At  certain  places  there  wrere  thick  bull's-eye 
windows,  by  means  of  which  the  under-water 
travelers  could  look  out  into  the  ocean  through 
which  they  were  moving.  As  a  defense  against 
the  attacks  of  submarine  monsters  there  was  a 
steel,  pointed  ram,  like  a  big  harpoon.  There 
were  also  a  bow  and  a  stern  electrical  gun,  of 
which  more  will  be  told  later. 

In  addition  to  ample  sleeping  accommodations 
there  were  many  conveniences  aboard  the 
Advance.  Plenty  of  fresh  water  could  be  carried, 
and  there  was  an  apparatus  for  distilling  more 
from  the  sea  water  that  surrounded  the  travelers. 


£6     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

Compressed  air  was  carried  in  large  tanks,  and 
oxygen  could  be  made  as  needed.  In  short,  noth- 
ing that  could  add  to  the  comfort  or  safety  of 
the  travelers  had  been  omitted.  There  was  a 
powerful  crane  and  windlass,  which  had  been  in- 
stalled when  Mr.  Swift  thought  his  boat  might 
be  bought  by  the  Government  This  was  to  be 
used  for  raising  wrecks  or  recovering  objects 
from  the  bottom  of  the  ocean.  Ample  stores  and 
provisions  were  to  be  carried  and,  once  the  trav- 
elers were  shut  up  in  the  Advance,  they  could 
exist  for  a  month  below  the  surface,  providing 
no  accident  occurred. 

All  these  things  Tom  and  Mr.  Sharp  thought  of 
as  they  looked  over  the  ship  before  turning  in 
for  the  night.  The  craft  was  made  immensely 
strong  to  withstand  powerful  pressure  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  ocean.  The  submarine  could  pene- 
trate to  a  depth  of  about  three  miles.  Below  that 
it  was  dangerous  to  go,  as  the  awful  force  would 
crush  the  plates,  powerful  as  they  were. 

"Well,  we'll  rush  things  to-morrow  and  the 
next  day,"  observed  Tom  as  he  prepared  to  leave 
the  building.  "Then  we'll  soon  see  if  it  works/' 

For  the  next  week  there  were  busy  times  in 
the  shop  near  the  ocean.  Great  secrecy  was  main- 
tained, and  though  curiosity  seekers  did  stroll 
adong  now  and  then,  they  received  little  satis* 


TOM  IS  IMPRISONED  & 

faction.  At  first  Mr.  Swift  thought  that  the 
visit  of  Mr.  Berg  would  have  unpleasant  results, 
for  he  feared  that  the  agent  would  talk  about  the 
craft,  of  which  he  had  so  unexpectedly  gotten  a 
sight.  But  nothing  seemed  to  follow  from  his 
chance  inspection,  and  it  was  forgotten. 

It  was  one  evening,  about  a  week  later,  that 
Tom  was  alone  in  the  shop.  The  two  mechanics 
that  had  been  hired  to  help  out  in  the  rush  had 
been  let  go,  and  the  ship  needed  but  a  few  adjust- 
ments to  make  it  ready  for  the  sea. 

"I  think  I'll  just  take  another  look  at  the  water 
tank  valves,"  said  Tom  to  himself  as  he  prepared 
to  enter  the  big  compartments  which  received  the 
water  ballast.  "I  want  to  be  sure  they  work 
properly  and  quickly.  We've  got  to  depend  on 
them  to  make  us  sink  when  we  want  to,  and, 
that's  more  important,  to  rise  to  the  surface  in 
a  hurry.  I've  got  time  enough  to  look  them  over 
before  dad  and  Mr.  Sharp  get  back." 

Tom  entered  the  starboard  tank  by  means  of 
an  emergency  sliding  door  between  the  big  com- 
partments and  the  main  part  of  the  ship.  This 
;was  closed  by  a  worm  and  screw  gear,  and  once 
the  ship  was  in  the  water  would  seldom  be  used. 

The  young  inventor  proceeded  with  his  task, 
carefully  inspecting  the  valves  by  the  light  of  a 
lantern  he  carried.  The  apparatus  seemed  to  be 


38     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

all  right,  and  Tom  was  about  to  leave  when  a 
peculiar  noise  attracted  his  attention.  It  was 
the  sound  of  metal  scraping  on  metal,  and  the 
lad's  quick  and  well-trained  ear  told  him  it  was 
somewhere  about  the  ship. 

He  turned  to  leave  the  tank,  but  as  he  wheeled 
around  his  light  flashed  on  a  solid  wall  of  steel 
back  of  him.  The  emergency  outlet  had  been 
closed !  He  was  a  prisoner  in  the  water  compart- 
ment, and  he  knew,  from  past  experience,  that 
shout  as  he  would,  his  voice  could  not  be  heard 
ten  feet  away.  His  father  and  Mr.  Sharp,  as  he 
was  aware,  had  gone  to  a  near-by  city  for  some 
tools,  and  Mr.  Jackson,  the  engineer,  was  tem- 
porarily away.  Mrs.  Baggert,  in  the  house,  could 
not  hear  his  cries. 

"I'm  locked  in !"  cried  Tom  aloud.  'The  worm 
gear  must  have  shut  of  itself.  But  I  don't  see 
how  that  could  be.  I've  got  to  get  out  mighty 
soon,  though,  or  I'll  smother.  This  tank  is  air- 
tight, and  it  won't  take  me  long  to  breath  up  all 
the  oxygen  there  is  here.  I  must  get  that  slide 
open." 

He  sought  to  grasp  the  steel  plate  that  closed 
the  emergency  opening.  His  fingers  slipped  over 
the  smooth,  polished  surface.  He  was  hermetic- 
ally sealed  up — a  captive!  Blankly  he  set  his 


TOM  IS  IMPRISONED  39 

lantern  down  and  leaned  hopelessly  against  the 
wall  of  the  tank. 

"I've  got  to  get  out,"  he  murmured. 

As  if  in  answer  to  him  he  heard  a  voice  on  the 
outside,  crying : 

"There,  Tom  Swift!  I  guess  I've  gotten  even 
with  you  now !  Maybe  next  time  you  won't  take 
a  reward  away  from  me,  and  lick  me  into  the 
bargain.  I've  got  you  shut  up  good  and  tight, 
and  you'll  stay  there  until  I  get  ready  to  let  you 
out." 

"Andy  Foger!"  gasped  Tom.  "Andy  Foger 
sneaked  in  here  and  turned  the  gear.  But  how 
did  he  get  to  this  part  of  the  coast  ?  Andy  Foger, 
you  let  me  out !"  shouted  the  young  inventor ;  and 
as  Andy's  mocking  laugh  came  to  him  faintly 
through  the  steel  sides  of  the  submarine,  the  im- 
prisoned lad  beat  desperately  with  his  hands  on 
the  smooth  sides  of  the  tank,  vainly  wondering 
how  his  enemy  had  discovered  him. 


CHAPTER  V 

MR.    BERG  IS   SUSPICIOUS 

NOT  for  long  did  the  young  inventor  endeavor 
to  break  his  way  out  of  the  water-ballast  tank  by 
striking  the  heavy  sides  of  it.  Tom  realized  that 
this  was  worse  than  useless.  He  listened  in- 
tently, but  could  hear  nothing.  Even  the  retreat- 
ing footsteps  of  Andy  Foger  were  inaudible. 

"This  certainly  is  a  pickle!"  exclaimed  Tom 
aloud.  "I  can't  understand  how  he  ever  got  here. 
He  must  have  traced  us  after  we  went  to  Shopton 
in  the  airship  the  last  time.  Then  he  sneaked  in 
here.  Probably  he  saw  me  enter,  but  how  could 
he  knew  enough  to  work  the  worm  gear  and 
close  the  door?  Andy  has  had  some  experience 
with  machinery,  though,  and  one  of  the  vaults 
in  the  bank  where  his  father  is  a  director  closed 
just  like  this  tank.  That's  very  likely  how  he 
learned  about  it.  But  I've  got  to  do  something 
else  besides  thinking  of  that  sneak,  Andy.  I've 
got  to  get  out  of  here.  Let's  see  if  I  can  work  the 
gear  from  inside." 

40 


MR.  BERG  IS  SUSPICIOUS  41 

Before  he  started,  almost,  Tom  knew  that  it 
would  be  impossible.  The  tank  was  made  to 
close  from  the  interior  of  the  submarine,  and  the 
heavy  door,  built  to  withstand  the  pressure  of 
tons  of  water,  could  not  be  forced  except  by  the 
proper  means. 

"No  use  trying  that,"  concluded  the  lad,  after 
a  tiring  attempt  to  force  back  the  sliding  door 
with  his  hands.  "I've  got  to  call  for  help." 

He  shouted  until  the  vibrations  in  the  confined 
space  made  his  ears  ring,  and  the  mere  exertion 
of  raising  his  voice  to  the  highest  pitch  made 
his  heart  beat  quickly.  Yet  there  came  no  re- 
sponse. He  hardly  expected  that  there  would 
be  any,  for  with  his  father  and  Mr.  Sharp  away, 
the  engineer  absent  on  an  errand,  and  Mra  Bag- 
gert  in  the  house  some  distance  off,  there  was 
no  one  to  hear  his  calls  for  help,  even  if  they 
had  been  capable  of  penetrating  farther  tk$a  the 
extent  of  the  shed,  where  the  under-water  craft 
had  been  constructed. 

"I've  got  to  wait  until  some  of  them  come  out 
here,"  thought  Tom.  "They'll  be  sure  to  rdss 
me  and  make  a  search.  Then  it  will  be  £asy 
enough  to  call  to  them  and  tell  them  where  1  am, 

once  they  are  inside  the  shed.  But "  He 

Caused,  for  a  horrible  fear  came  over  him.  "Stap- 
Jose  they  should  come — too  late?"  The  tank  was 


42     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

airtight.  There  was  enough  air  in  it  to  last  for 
some  time,  but,  sooner  or  later,  it  would  no  longer 
support  life.  Already,  Tom  thought,  it  seemed 
oppressive,  though  probably  that  was  his  imagi- 
nation. 

"I  must  get  out !"  he  repeated  frantically.  "I'll 
die  in  here — soon." 

Again  he  tried  to  shove  back,  the  steel  door. 
Then  he  repeated  his  cries  until  he  was  weary. 
No  one  answered  him.  He  fancied  once  he  could 
hear  footsteps  in  the  shed,  and  thought,  perhaps, 
it  was  And)'-,  come  back  to  gloat  over  him.  Then 
Torn  knew  the  red-haired  coward  would  not  dare 
venture  back.  We  must  do  Andy  the  justice  to 
say  that  he  never  realized  that  he  was  endanger- 
ing Tom's  life.  The  bully  had  no  idea  the  tank 
was  airtight  when  he  closed  it.  He  had  seen  Tom 
enter  and  a  sudden  whim  came  to  him  to  revenge 
himself. 

But  that  did  not  help  the  young  inventor  any. 
There  was  no  doubt  about  it  now — the  air  wa* 
becoming  close.  Tom  had  been  imprisoned  near- 
ly two  hours,  and  as  he  was  a  healthy,  strong  lad, 
he  required  plenty  of  oxygen.  There  was  cer- 
tainly less  than  there  had  been  in  the  tank.  His 
head  began  to  buzz,  and  there  was  a  ringing  in 
feis  ears. 

Once  more  ne  fell  upon  his  knees,  and  his 


MR.  BERG  IS  SUSPICIOUS  43 

fingers  sought  the  small  projections  of  the  gear 
on  the  inside  of  the  door.  He  could  no  more 
budge  the  mechanism  than  a  child  could  open  a 
burglar-proof  vault. 

"It's  no  use,"  he  moaned,  and  he  sprawled  at 
full  length  on  the  floor  of  the  tank,  for  there  the 
air  was  purer.  As  he  did  so  his  fingers  touched 
something.  He  started  as  they  closed  around  the 
handle  of  a  big  monkey  wrench.  It  was  one  he 
had  brought  into  the  place  with  him.  Imbued 
with  new  hope  he  struck  a  match  and  lighted  his 
lantern,  which  he  had  allowed  to  go  out  as  it 
burned  up  too  much  of  the  oxygen.  By  the  gleam 
of  it  he  looked  to  see  if  there  were  any  bolts  or 
nuts  he  could  loosen  with  the  wrench,  in  order 
to  slide  the  door  back.  It  needed  but  a  glance  ta 
show  him  the  futility  of  this. 

"It's  no  go,"  he  murmured,  and  he  let  the 
wrench  fall  to  the  floor.  There  was  a  ringing, 
clanging  sound,  and  as  it  smote  his  ears  Torn 
sprang  up  with  an  exclamation. 

"That's  the  thing!"  he  cried.  "I  wonder  I 
didn't  think  of  it  before.  I  can  signal  for  help 
by  pounding  on  the  sides  of  the  tank  with  the 
wrench.  The  blows  will  carry  a  good  deal  far- 
ther than  my  voice  would."  Every  one  knows 
how  far  the  noise  of  a  boiler  shop,  with  hammers 


44    TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

falling  on  steel  plates,  can  be  heard;  much  fas* 
ther  than  can  a  human  voice. 

Tom  began  a  lusty  tattoo  on  the  metal  sides  of 
the  tank.  At  first  he  merely  rattled  out  blow 
after  blow,  and  then,  as  another  thought  came 
to  him,  he  adopted  a  certain  plan.  Some  time 
previous,  when  he  and  Mr.  Sharp  had  planned 
their  trip  in  the  air,  the  two  had  adopted  a  code 
of  signals.  As  it  was  difficult  in  a  high  wind  to 
shout  from  one  end  of  the  airship  to  the  otherv 
*Jbe  young  inventor  would  sometimes  pound  on 
i  pipe  which  ran  from  the  pilot  house  of  the 
Red  Cloud  to  the  engine-room.  By  a  combination 
of  numbers,  simple  messages  could  be  conveyed. 
The  code  included  a  call  for  help.  Forty-seven 
was  the  number,  but  there  had  never  been  any  oc- 
casion to  use  it. 

Tom  remembered  this  now.  At  once  he  ceased 
bis  indiscriminate  hammering,  and  began  to  beat 
out  regularly — one,  two,  three,  four — then  a 
pause,  and  seven  blows  would  be  given.  Ovef 
and  over  again  he  rang  out  this  number — forty* 
seven — the  call  for  help. 

"If  Mr.  Sharp  only  comes  back  he  will  heas 
that,  even  in  the  house,"  thought  poor  Tom, 
"Maybe  Garret  or  Mrs.  Baggert  will  hear  it,  too, 
but  they  won't  know  what  it  means.  They'll 
think  I'm  just  working  on  thf  .submarine." 


MR.  BERG  IS  SUSPICIOUS  45 

It  seemed  several  hours  to  Tom  that  he  pounded 
out  that  cry  for  aid,  but,  as  he  afterward  learned, 
it  was  only  a  little  over  an  hour.  Signal  after 
signal  he  sent  vibrating  from  the  steel  sides  of 
the  tank.  When  one  arm  tired  he  would  use  the 
other.  He  grew  weary,  his  head  was  aching,  and 
there  was  a  ringing  in  his  ears;  a  ringing  that 
seemed  as  if  ten  thousand  bells  were  jangling 
out  their  peals,  and  he  could  barely  distinguish 
his  own  pounding. 

Signal  after  signal  he  sounded.  It  was  be- 
coming like  a  dream  to  him,  when  suddenly,  as  he 
paused  for  a  rest,  he  heard  his  name  called  faintly, 
as  if  far  away. 

"Tom!  Tom!    Where  are  you?" 

It  was  the  voice  of  Mr.  Sharp.  Then  followed 
the  tones  of  the  aged  inventor. 

"My  poor  boy !    Tom,  are  you  still  alive  ?" 

"Yes,  dad!  In  the  starboard  tank!"  the  lad 
gasped  out,  and  then  he  lost  his  senses.  When 
he  revived  he  was  lying  on  a  pile  of  bagging  in 
the  submarine  shop,  and  his  father  and  the 
aeronaut  were  bending  over  him. 

"Are  you  all  right,  Tom?"  asked  Mr.  Swift 

"Yes — I — I  guess  so,"  was  the  hesitating  an- 
swer. "Yes,"  the  lad  added,  as  the  fresh  air 
cleared  his  head.  "I'll  be  all  right  pretty  soon. 
Have  you  seen  Andy  Foger?'' 


46     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

"Did  he  shut  you  in  there?"  demanded  Mr. 
Swift. 

Tom  nodded. 

"I'll  have  him  arrested !"  declared  Mr.  Swift. 
"I'll  go  to  town  as  soon  as  you're  in  good  shape 
again  and  notify  the  police." 

"No,  don't,"  pleaded  Tom.  "I'll  take  care  of 
Andy  myself.  I  don't  really  believe  he  knew  how 
serious  it  was.  I'll  settle  with  him  later,  though." 

"Well,  it  came  mighty  near  being  serious," 
remarked  Mr.  Sharp  grimly.  "Your  father  and 
I  came  back  a  little  sooner  than  we  expected,  and 
as  soon  as  I  got  near  the  house  I  heard  your 
signal.  I  knew  what  it  was  in  a  moment.  There 
were  Mrs.  Baggert  and  Garret  talking  away,  and 
when  I  asked  them  why  they  didn't  answer  your 
call  they  said  they  thought  you  were  merely  tinker- 
ing with  the  machinery.  But  I  knew  better.  It's 
the  first  time  we  ever  had  a  use  for  'forty-seven/ 
Tom." 

"And  I  hope  it  will  be  the  last,"  replied  the 
young  inventor  with  a  faint  smile.  "But  I'd 
like  to  know  what  Andy  Foger  is  doing  in  this 
neighborhood." 

Tom  was  soon  himself  again  and  able  to  go 
to  the  house,  where  he  found  Mrs.  Baggert  brew- 
ing a  big  basin  of  catnip  tea,  under  the  impres- 
sion that  it  would  in  some  way  be  good  for  him. 


MR.  BERG  IS  SUSPICIOUS  47 

She  could  not  forgive  herself  for  not  having  an- 
swered his  signal,  and  as  for  Mr.  Jackson,  he 
had  started  for  a  doctor  as  soon  as  he  learned  that 
Tom  was  shut  up  in  the  tank.  The  services  of 
the  medical  man  were  canceled  by  telephone,  as 
there  was  no  need  for  him,  and  the  engineer  came 
back  to  the  house. 

Tom  was  fully  himself  the  next  day,  and  aided 
his  father  and  Mr.  Sharp  in  putting  the  finishing 
touches  to  the  Advance.  It  was  found  that  some 
alteration  was  required  in  the  auxiliary  propel- 
lers, and  this,  much  to  the  regret  of  the  young 
inventor,  would  necessitate  postponing  the  trial 
a  few  days. 

"But  we'll  have  her  in  the  water  next  Friday/' 
promised  Mr.  Swift. 

"Aren't  you  superstitious  about  Friday  ?"  asked 
the  balloonist. 

"Not  a  bit  of  it,"  replied  the  aged  inventor. 
"Tom,"  he  added,  "I  wish  you  would  go  in  the 
house  and  get  me  the  roll  of  blueprints  you'll  find 
on  my  desk." 

As  the  lad  neared  the  cottage  he  saw,  stand- 
ing in  front  of  the  place,  a  small  automobile.  A 
man  had  just  descended  from  it,  and  it  needed 
but  a  glance  to  show  that  he  was  Mr.  Addison 
Berg. 

"Ah,  good  morning,  Mr.  Swift,"  greeted  Mr. 


48     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

Berg.  "I  wish  to  see  your  father,  but  as  I  don't 
wish  to  lay  myself  open  to  suspicions  by  enter- 
ing the  shop,  perhaps  you  will  ask  him  to  step 
here." 

"Certainly/'  answered  the  lad,  wondering  why 
the  agent  had  returned.  Getting  the  blueprints, 
and  asking  Mr.  Berg  to  sit  down  on  the  porch, 
Tom  delivered  the  message. 

"You  come  back  with  me,  Tom,"  said  his 
father.  "I  want  you  to  be  a  witness  to  what  he 
says.  I'm  not  going  to  get  into  trouble  with 
these  people." 

Mr.  Berg  came  to  the  point  at  once. 

"Mr.  Swift,"  he  said,  "I  wish  you  would  re- 
consider your  determination  not  to  enter  the  Gov- 
ernment trials.  I'd  like  to  see  you  compete.  So 
would  my  firm." 

"There  is  no  use  going  over  that  again,"  re- 
plied the  aged  inventor.  "I  have  another  object 
in  view  now  than  trying  for  the  Government  prize. 
What  it  is  I  can't  say,  but  it  may  develop  in  time 
— if  we  are  successful,"  and  he  looked  at  his  son, 
smiling  the  while. 

Mr.  Berg  tried  to  argue,  but  it  was  of  no  avail. 
Then  he  changed  his  manner,  and  said: 

"Well,  since  you  won't,  you  won't,  I  suppose. 
I'll  go  back  and  report  to  my  firm.  Have  you 


MR.  BERG  IS  SUSPICIOUS  49 

anything  special  to  do  this  morning?"  he  went 
on  to  Tom. 

"Well,  I  can  always  find  something  to  keep 
me  busy,"  replied  the  lad,  "but  as  for  anything 
special " 

"I  thought  perhaps  you'd  like  to  go  for  a  trip 
in  my  auto,"  interrupted  Mr.  Berg.  "I  had  asked 
a  young  man  who  is  stopping  at  the  same  hotd 
where  I  am  to  accompany  me,  but  he  has  unex- 
pectedly left,  and  I  don't  like  to  go  alone.  His 
name  was — let  me  see.  I  have  a  wretched  men* 
ory  for  names,  but  it  was  something  like  Rogei 
or  Moger." 

"Foger !"  cried  Tom.    "Was  it  Andy  Foger  ?" 

"Yes,  that  was  it.  Why,  do  you  know  him?'* 
asked  Mr.  Berg  in  some  surprise. 

"I  should  say  so,"  replied  Tom.  "He  was  the 
cause  of  what  might  have  resulted  in  something 
serious  for  me,"  and  the  lad  explained  about  being 
imprisoned  in  the  tank. 

"You  don't  tell  me!"  cried  Mr.  Berg.  "I  had 
no  idea  he  was  that  kind  of  a  lad.  You  see,  his 
father  is  one  of  the  directors  of  the  firm  by  whom 
I  am  employed.  Andy  came  from  home  to  spend 
a  few  weeks  at  the  seaside,  and  stopped  at  the 
same  hotel  that  I  did.  He  went  off  yesterday  aft- 
ernoon, and  I  haven't  seen  him  since,  though  he 
promised  to  go  for  a  ride  with  me.  He  must  have 


50     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

come  over  here  and  entered  your  shop  unobserved. 
I  remember  now  he  asked  me  where  the  submarine 
was  being  built  that  was  going  to  compete  with 
our  firm's,  and  I  told  him.  I  didn't  think  he  was 
that  kind  of  a  lad.  Well,  since  he's  probably 
gone  back  homew  perhaps  you  will  come  for  a 
ride  with  me,  Tom." 

"I'm  afraid  I  can't  go,  thank  you,"  answered 
the  lad.  "We  are  very  busy  getting  our  sub- 
marine in  shape  for  a  trial.  But  I  can  imagine 
why  Andy  left  so  hurriedly.  He  probably  learned 
that  a  doctor  had  been  summoned  for  me,  though, 
as  it  happened,  I  didn't  need  one.  But  Andy  prob- 
ably got  frightened  at  what  he  had  done,  and 
left  I'll  make  him  more  sorry,  when  I  meet 
him." 

"Don't  blame  you  a  bit,"  commented  Mr.  Berg. 
"Well,  I  must  be  getting  back." 

He  hastened  out  to  his  auto,  while  Tom  and 
his  father  watched  the  agent. 

"Tom,  never  trust  that  man,"  advised  the  aged 
inventor  solemnly. 

"Just  what  I  was  about  to  remark,"  said  his 
son.  "Well,  let's  get  back  to  work.  Queer  that 
he  should  come  here  again,  and  it's  queer  about 
Andy  Foger." 

Father  and  son  returned  to  the  machine  shop, 
while  Mr.  Berg  puffed  away  in  his  auto.  A  little 


MR.  BERG  IS  SUSPICIOUS  51 

later,  Tom  having  occasion  to  go  to  a  building 
near  the  boundary  line  of  the  cottage  property 
which  his  father  had  hired  for  the  season,  saw, 
through  the  hedge  that  bordered  it,  an  automobile 
standing  in  the  road.  A  second  glance  showed 
him  that  it  was  Mr.  Berg's  machine.  Something 
had  gone  wrong  with  it,  and  the  agent  had 
alighted  to  make  an  adjustment. 

The  young  inventor  was  close  to  the  man, 
though  the  latter  was  unaware  of  his  presence. 

"Hang  it  all!"  Tom  heard  Mr.  Berg  exclaim 
to  himself.  "I  wonder  what  they  can  be  up  to? 
They  won't  enter  the  Government  contests,  and 
they  won't  say  why.  I  believe  they're  up  to  some 
game,  and  I've  got  to  find  out  what  it  is.  I 
wonder  if  I  couldn't  use  this  Foger  chap? 

"He  seems  to  have  it  in  for  this  Tom  Swift," 
Mr.  Berg  went  on,  still  talking  to  himself,  though 
not  so  low  but  that  Tom  could  hear  him.  "I 
think  I'll  try  it.  I'll  get  Andy  Foger  to  sneak 
around  and  find  out  what  the  game  is.  He'll  do 
it,  I  know." 

By  this  time  the  auto  was  in  working  order 
again,  and  the  agent  took  his  seat  and  started 
off. 

"So  that's  how  matters  lie,  eh  ?"  thought  Tom, 
"Well,  Mr.  Berg,  we'll  be  doubly  on  the  lookout 
for  you  after  this.  As  for  Andy  Foger,  I  think 


|3     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

I'll  make  him  wish  he'd  never  locked  me  in  that 
tank.  So  you  expect  to  find  out  our  'game/  eh^ 
Mr.  Berg?  Well,  when  you  do  know  it,  I  think 
it  will  astonish  you.  I  only  hope  you  don't  learn 
what  it  is  until  we  get  at  that  sunken  treasure, 
though." 

But  alas  for  Tom's  hopes.  Mr.  Berg  did  learn 
of  the  object  of  the  treasure-seekers,  and  sought 
to  defeat  them,  as  we  shall  learn  as  our  story 
proceeds. 


CHAPTER  VI 

TURNING  THE  TABLES 

WHEN  the  young  inventor  informed  bis  father 
what  he  had  overheard  Mr.  Berg  saying,  the  aged 
inventor  was  not  as  much  worried  as  his  son 
anticipated. 

"All  well  have  to  do,  Tom,"  he  said,  "is  to 
keep  quiet  about  where  we  are  going.  Once  we 
have  the  Advance  afloat,  and  try  her  out,  we  can 
start  on  our  voyage  for  the  South  American 
coast  and  search  for  the  sunken  treasure.  Whea 
we  begin  our  voyage  under  water  I  defy  any  one 
to  tell  where  we  are  going,  or  what  our  plans 
are.  No,  I  don't  believe  we  need  worry  about 
Mr.  Berg,  though  he  probably  means  mischief." 

"Well,  I'm  going  to  keep  my  eyes  open  for 
him  and  Andy  Foger,"  declared  Tom. 

The  days  that  followed  were  filled  with  work. 
Not  only  were  there  many  unexpected  things  to 
do  about  the  submarine,  but  Mr.  Sharp  was  kept 
busy  making  inquiries  about  the  sunken  treasure 

53 


54     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

ship.  These  inquiries  had  to  be  made  carefully, 
as  the  adventurers  did  not  want  their  plans  talked 
of,  and  nothing  circulates  more  quickly  than 
rumors  of  an  expedition  after  treasure  of  any 
kind. 

"What  about  the  old  sea  captain  you  were  go- 
ing to  get  to  go  with  us?"  asked  Mr.  Swift  ot 
the  balloonist  one  afternoon.  "Have  you  sue* 
ceeded  in  finding  one  yet?" 

"Yes;  I  am  in  communication  with  a  man  I 
think  will  be  just  the  person  for  us.  His  name  is 
Captain  Alden  Weston,  and  he  has  sailed  all  over 
the  world.  He  has  also  taken  part  in  more  than 
one  revolution,  and,  in  fact,  is  a  soldier  of  for- 
tune. I  do  not  know  him  personally,  but  a  friend 
of  mine  knows  him,  and  says  he  will  serve  us 
faithfully.  I  have  written  to  him,  and  he  will 
be  here  in  a  few  days." 

"That's  good.  Now  about  the  location  of  the 
wreck  itself.  Have  you  been  able  to  learn  any 
more  details?" 

"Well,  not  many.  You  see,  the  Boldero  was 
abandoned  in  a  storm,  and  the  captain  did  not 
take  very  careful  observations.  As  nearly  as  it 
can  be  figured  out  the  treasure  ship  went  to  the 
bottom  in  latitude  forty-five  degrees  south,  and 
longitude  twenty-seven  east  from  Washington. 
That's  a  pretty  indefinite  location,  hut  I  hope, 


TURNING  THE  TABLES  5$ 

tmce  we  get  off  the  Uruguay  coast,  we  can  better 
it.  We  can  anchor  or  lay  outside  the  harbor,  and 
in  the  small  boat  we  carry  go  ashore  and  pos- 
sibly gain  more  details.  For  it  was  at  Monte- 
video that  the  shipwrecked  passengers  and  sailors 
landed." 

"Does  Captain  Weston  know  our  object?"  in- 
quired Tom. 

"No,  and  I  don't  propose  to  tell  him  until  we 
are  ready  to  start/'  replied  Mr.  Sharp.  "I  don't 
know  just  how  he'll  consider  a  submarine  trip 
after  treasure,  but  if  I  spring  it  on  him  suddenly 
he's  less  likely  to  bade  out.  Oh,  I  think  he'll 
go." 

Somewhat  unexpectedly  the  next  day  it  was 
discovered  that  certain  tools  and  appliances  were 
needed  for  the  submarine,  and  they  had  been  left 
in  the  house  at  Shopton,  where  Eradicate  Samp- 
son was  in  charge  as  caretaker  during  the  absence 
of  Mr.  Swift  and  his  son  and  the  housekeeper. 

"Well,  I  suppose  we'll  have  to  go  back  after 
them,"  remarked  Tom.  "We'll  take  the  airship, 
dad,  and  make  a  two-days'  trip  of  it.  Is  there 
anything  else  you  want  ?" 

"Well,  you  might  bring  a  bundle  of  papers 
you'll  find  in  the  lower  right  hand  drawer  of 
my  desk.  They  contain  some  memoranda  I  need." 

Tom  and  Mr.  Sharp  had  become  so  used  to 


56     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

traveling  in  the  airship  that  it  seemed  no  novelty; 
to  them,  though  they  attracted  much  attention 
wherever  they  went.  They  soon  had  the  Red 
Cloud  in  readiness  for  a  flight,  and  rising  in  the 
air  above  the  shop  that  contained  the  powerful 
submarine,  a  craft  utterly  different  in  type  from 
the  aeroplane,  the  nose  of  the  airship  was  pointed 
toward  Shopton. 

They  made  a  good  flight  and  landed  near  the 
big  shed  where  the  bird  of  the  air  was  kept.  It 
was  early  evening  when  they  got  to  the  Swift 
homestead,  and  Eradicate  Sampson  was  glad  to 
see  them. 

Eradicate  was  a  good  cook,  and  soon  had  a 
meal  ready  for  the  travelers.  Then,  while  Mr. 
Sharp  selected  the  tools  and  other  things  needed, 
and  put  them  in  the  airship  ready  for  the  start 
back  the  next  morning,  Tom  concluded  he  would 
take  a  stroll  into  Shopton,  to  see  if  he  could  see 
his  friend,  Ned  Newton.  It  was  early  evening, 
and  the  close  of  a  beautiful  day,  a  sharp  shower 
in  the  morning  having  cooled  the  air. 

Tom  was  greeted  by  a  number  of  acquaintances; 
as  he  strolled  along,  for,  since  the  episode  of  the 
bank  robbery,  when  he  had  so  unexpectedly  re- 
turned with  the  thieves  and  the  cash,  the  lad 
was  better  known  than  ever. 

"I  guess  Ned  must  be  home,"  thought  cror  here 


TURNING  THE  TABLES  57 

as  he  looked  in  vain  for  his  chum  among  the 
throng  on  the  streets.  "I've  got  time  to  take  a 
stroll  down  to  his  house." 

Tom  was  about  to  cross  the  street  when  he 
was  startled  by  the  sound  of  an  automobile  horn 
loudly  blown  just  at  his  side.  Then  a  voice 
called : 

"Hey,  there !  Git  out  of  the  way  if  you  don't 
want  to  be  run  over !" 

He  looked  up,  and  saw  a  car  careening  along. 
At  the  wheel  was  the  red-haired  bully,  Andy 
Foger,  and  in  the  tonneau  were  Sam  Snedecker 
and  Pete  Bailey. 

"Git  out  of  the  way,"  added  Sam,  and  he 
grinned  maliciously  at  Tom. 

The  latter  stepped  back,  well  out  of  the  path  of 
the  car,  which  was  not  moving  very  fast.  Just 
in  front  of  Tom  was  a  puddle  of  muddy  water. 
There  was  no  necessity  for  Andy  steering  into 
it,  but  he  saw  his  opportunity,  and  a  moment  later 
one  of  the  big  pneumatic  tires  had  plunged  into 
the  dirty  fluid,  spattering  it  all  over  Tom,  some 
even  going  as  high  as  his  face. 
-  "Ha!  ha!"  laughed  Andy.  "Maybe  you'll  get 
out  of  my  way  next  time,  Tom  Swift." 

The  young  inventor  was  almost  speechless  from 
righteous  anger.  He  wiped  the  mud  from  his 


58     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

face,  glanced  down  at  his  clothes,  which  were  all 
but  ruined,  and  called  out: 

"Hold  on  there,  Andy  Foger!  I  want  to  see 
you !"  for  he  thought  of  the  time  when  Andy  had! 
shut  him  in  the  tank. 

"Ta!  tal"  shouted  Pete  Bailey. 

"See  you  later/'  added  Sam. 

"Better  go  home  and  take  a  bath,  and  then  sail 
away  in  your  submarine,"  went  on  Andy.  "I'll 
bet  it  will  sink." 

Before  Tom  could  reply  the  auto  had  turned 
a  corner.  Disgusted  and  angry,  he  tried  to  sop 
up  some  of  the  muddy  water  with  his  handker- 
chief. While  thus  engaged  he  heard  his  name 
called,  and  looked  up  to  see  Ned  Newton. 

"What's  the  matter?  Fall  down?"  asked  his 
chum. 

"Andy  Foger,"  replied  Tom. 

"That's  enough,"  retorted  Ned.  "I  can  guess 
the  rest.  We'll  have  to  tar  and  feather  him  some 
day,  and  ride  him  out  of  town  on  a  rail.  I'd 
lick  him  myself,  only  his  father  is  a  director  in 
the  bank  where  I  work,  and  I'd  be  fired  if  I  did. 
Can't  afford  any  such  pleasure.  But  some  day 
I'll  give  Andy  a  good  trouncing,  and  then  resign 
before  they  can  discharge  me.  But  I'll  be  looking 
for  another  job  before  I  do  that.  Come  on  to 
my  house,  Tom,  and  I'll  help  you  clean  IT;," 


TURNING  THE   TABLES  59 

Tom  was  a  little  more  presentable  when  he 
left  his  chum's  residence,  after  spending  the  eve- 
ning there,  but  he  was  still  burning  for  revenge 
against  Andy  and  his  cronies.  He  had  half  a 
notion  to  go  to  Andy's  house  and  tell  Mr.  Foger 
how  nearly  serious  the  bully's  prank  at  the  sub- 
marine  had  been,  but  he  concluded  that  Mr.  Foger 
Would  only  uphold  his  son. 

"No,  I'll  settle  with  him  myself,"  decided  Tom. 

Bidding  Eradicate  keep  a  watchful  eye  about 
the  house,  and  leaving  word  for  Mr.  Damon  to 
be  sure  to  come  to  the  coast  if  he  again  called 
at  the  Shopton  house,  Tom  and  Mr.  Sharp  pre- 
pared to  make  their  return  trip  early  the  next 
morning. 

The  gas  tank  was  filled  and  the  Red  Cloud 
arose  in  the  air.  Then,  with  the  propellers  mov- 
ing at  moderate  speed,  the  nose  of  the  craft  was 
pointed  toward  the  New  Jersey  coast. 

A  few  miles  out  from  Shopton,  finding  there 
Was  a  contrary  wind  in  the  upper  regions  where 
they  were  traveling,  Mr.  Sharp  descended  several 
hundred  feet.  They  were  moving  over  a  sparsely 
settled  part  of  the  country,  and  looking  down, 
Tom  saw,  speeding  along  a  highway,  an  auto- 
mobile. 

"I  wonder  who's  in  it?"  he  remarked,  taking 
down  a  telescope  and  peering  over  the  window 


60     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

ledge  of  the  cabin.  The  next  moment  he  uttered 
a  startled  exclamation. 

"Andy  Foger,  Sam  Snedecker  and  Pete, 
Bailey!"  he  cried.  "Oh,  I  wish  I  had  a  bucket 
of  water  to  empty  on  them." 

"I  know  a  better  way  to  get  even  with  them 
than  that,"  said  Mr.  Sharp. 

"How?"  asked  Tom  eagerly. 

"I'll  show  you,"  replied  the  balloonist.  "It's  a 
trick  I  once  played  on  a  fellow  who  did  me  an 
injury.  Here,  you  steer  for  a  minute  until  I 
get  the  thing  fixed,  then  I'll  take  charge." 

Mr.  Sharp  went  to  the  storeroom  and  came 
back  with  a  long,  stout  rope  and  a  small  anchor 
of  four  prongs.  It  was  carried  to  be  used  in 
emergencies,  but  so  far  had  never  been  called  into 
requisition.  Fastening  the  grapple  to  the  cable, 
the  balloonist  said : 

"Now,  Tom,  they  haven't  seen  you.  You  stand 
in  the  stern  and  pay  out  the  rope.  I'll  steer  the 
airship,  and  what  I  want  you  to  do  is  to  catch  the 
anchor  in  the  rear  of  their  car.  Then  I'll  show 
you  some  fun." 

Tom  followed  instructions.  Slowly  he  lowered 
the  rope  with  the  dangling  grapple.  The  airship 
was  also  sent  down,  as  the  cable  was  not  quite 
long  enough  to  reach  the  earth  from  the  height 
at  which  they  were.  The  engine  was  run  at 


TURNING  THE   TABLES  6u 

slow  speed,  so  that  the  noise  would  not  attract 
the  attention  of  the  three  cronies  who  were  speed- 
ing along,  all  unconscious  of  the  craft  in  the  air 
over  their  heads.  The  Red  Cloud  was  moving 
in  the  same  direction  as  was  the  automobile. 

The  anchor  was  now  close  to  the  rear  of  Andy's 
car.  Suddenly  it  caught  on  the  tonneau  and  Tom 
called  that  fact  to  Mr.  Sharp. 

"Fasten  the  rope  at  the  cleat,"  directed  the 
balloonist. 

Tom  did  so,  and  a  moment  later  the  aeronaut 
sent  the  airship  up  by  turning  more  gas  into  the 
container.  At  the  same  time  he  reversed  the 
engine  and  the  Red  Cloud  began  pulling  the  tour- 
ing car  backward,  also  lifting  the  rear  wheels 
dear  from  the  earth. 

A  startled  cry  from  the  occupants  of  the  ma- 
chine told  Tom  and  his  friend  that  Andy  and  his 
cronies  were  aware  something  was  wrong.  A 
moment  later  Andy,  looking  up,  saw  the  airship 
hovering  in  the  air  above  him.  Then  he  saw  the 
rope  fast  to  his  auto.  The  airship  was  not  rising 
now,  or  the  auto  would  have  been  turned  over, 
but  it  was  slowly  pulling  it  backward,  in  spite  ol 
the  fact  that  the  motor  of  the  car  was  still  going. 

"Here!  You  let  go  of  me !"  cried  Andy.  "I'll 
have  you  arrested  if  you  damage  my  car." 

"Come  up  here  and  cut  the  rope."  called  Tom* 


62     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

leaning  over  and  looking  down.  He  could  enjoy 
the  bully's  discomfiture.  As  for  Sam  and  Pete, 
they  were  much  frightened,  and  cowered  down 
on  the  floor  of  the  tonneau. 

"Maybe  you'll  shut  me  in  the  tank  again  and 
splash  mud  on  me !"  shouted  Tom. 

The  rear  wheels  of  the  auto  were  lifted  still 
higher  from  the  ground,  as  Mr.  Sharp  turned  on 
a  little  more  gas.  Andy  was  not  proof  against 
this. 

"Oh!  oh!"  he  cried.  "Please  let  me  down, 
Tom.  I'm  awful  sorry  for  what  I  did !  I'll  never 
do  it  again !  Please,  please  let  me  down !  Don't  I 
You'll  tip  me  over !" 

He  had  shut  off  his  motor  now,  and  was  fran- 
tically clinging  to  the  steering  wheel. 

"Do  you  admit  that  you're  a  sneak  and  a  cow- 
ard?" asked  Tom,  "rubbing  it  in." 

"Yes,  yes!     Oh,  please  let  me  down!" 

"Shall  we?"  asked  Tom  of  Mr.  Sharp. 

"Yes,"  replied  the  balloonist.  "We  can  afford 
to  lose  the  rope  and  anchor  for  the  sake  of  turn- 
ing the  tables.  Cut  the  cable." 

Tom  saw  what  was  intended.  Using  a  little 
fiatchet,  he  severed  the  rope  with  a  single  blow. 
With  a  crash  that  could  be  heard  up  in  the  air 
where  the  Red  Cloud  hovered,  the  rear  wheels 


TURNING  THE  TABLES  63 

of  the  auto  dropped  to  the  ground.    Then  came 
two  loud  reports. 

"Both  tires  busted!"  commented  Mr.  Sharp 
dryly,  and  Tom,  looking  down,  saw  the  trio  of 
lads  ruefully  contemplating  the  collapsed  rubber 
of  the  rear  wheels.  The  tables  had  been  effectual' 
ly  turned  on  Andy  Foger.  His  auto  was  disabled, 
and  the  airship,  with  a  graceful  sweep,  mounted 
higher  and  higher,  continuing  on  its  way  to  the 
coast. 


CHAPTER  VII 

MR.  DAMON  WILL  GO 

"WELL,  I  guess  they've  had  their  lesson/*  r& 
marked  Tom,  as  he  took  an  observation  through 
the  telescope  and  saw  Andy  and  his  cronies  hard 
at  work  trying  to  repair  the  ruptured  tires.  "That 
certainly  was  a  corking  good  trick." 

"Yes,"  admitted  Mr.  Sharp  modestly.  "I  once 
did  something  similar,  only  it  was  a  horse  and 
wagon  instead  of  an  auto.  But  let's  try  for  an- 
other speed  record.  .The  conditions  are  just 
right." 

They  arrived  at  the  coast  much  sooner  than 
they  had  dared  to  hope,  the  Red  Cloud  proving 
herself  a  veritable  wonder. 

The  remainder  of  that  day,  and  part  of  the 
next,  was  spent  in  working  on  the  submarine. 

"We'll  launch  her  day  after  to-morrow,"  de- 
clared Mr.  Swift  enthusiastically.  "Then  to  see 
whether  my  calculations  are  right  or  wrong." 

64 


MR.  DAMON  WILL  GO  65 

"It  won't  be  your  fault  if  it  doesn't  work,"  said 
his  son.  "You  certainly  have  done  your  best/' 

"And  so  have  you  and  Mr.  Sharp  and  the 
others,  for  that  matter.  Well,  I  have  no  doubf 
but  that  everything  will  be  all  right,  Tom." 

"There !"  exclaimed  Mr.  Sharp  the  next  morn- 
ing, as  he  was  adjusting  a  certain  gage.  "I  knew 
•I'd  forget  something.  That  special  brand  of  lubri- 
cating oil.  I  meant  to  bring  it  from  Shopton,  and 
I  didn't" 

"Maybe  I  can  get  it  in  Atlantis,"  suggested 
Tom,  naming  the  coast  city  nearest  to  them.  "I'll, 
take  a  walk  over.  It  isn't  far.w 

"Will  you?  I'll  be  glad  to  have  you,**  resumed 
the  balloonist.  "A  gallon- will  be  all  we'll  need." 

Tom  was  soon  on  his  way.  He  had  to  walk,  as 
the  roads  were  too  poor  to  permit  him  to  use 
the  motor-cycle,  and  the  airship  attracted  too 
much  attention  to  use  on  a  short  trip.  He  was 
strolling  along,  when  from  the  other  side  of  a 
row  of  sand  dunes,  that  lined  the  uncertain  road 
to  Atlantis,  he  heard  some  one  speaking.  At  first 
the  tones  were  not  distinct,  but  as  the  lad  drew 
nearer  to  the  voice  he  heard  an  exclamation. 

"Bless  my  gold-headed  cane!  I  believe  I'm 
lost.  He  said  it  was  out  this  way  somewhere,  but 
I  don't  see  anything  of  it.  If  I  had  that  Eradi- 


66     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

cate  Sampson  here  now  I'd — bless  my  shoelaces! 
I  don't  know  what  I  would  do  to  him." 

"Mr.  Damon !  Mr.  Damon !"  cried  Tom.  "Is 
that  you?" 

"Me?  Of  course  it's  me!  Who  else  would  it 
be?"  answered  the  voice.  "But  who  are  you? 
Why,  bless  my  liver!  If  it  isn't  Tom  Swift!"  he 
cried.  "Oh,  but  I'm  glad  to  see  you!  I  was 
afraid  I  was  shipwrecked !  Bless  my  gaiters,  how 
are  you,  anyhow  ?  How  is  your  father  ?  How  is 
Mr.  Sharp,  and  all  the  rest  of  them?" 

"Pretty  well.    And  you?" 

"Me  ?  Oh,  I'm  all  right ;  only  a  trifle  nervous. 
I  called  at  your  house  in  Shopton  yesterday,  and 
Eradicate  told  me,  as  well  as  he  could,  where  you 
were  located.  I  had  nothing  to  do,  so  I  thought 
I'd  take  a  run  down  here.  But  what's  this  I 
hear  about  you?  Are  you  going  on  a  voyage J" 

"Yes." 

"In  the  air?  May  I  go  along  again?  I  cer- 
tainly enjoyed  my  other  trip  in  the  Red  Cloiid. 
[That  is,  all  but  the  fire  and  being  shot  at.  May 
I  go?" 

"We're  going  on  a  different  sort  of  trip  this 
time,"  said  the  youth. 

"Where?" 

"Under  water." 


MR.  DAMON  WILL  GO  67 

"Under  water?  Bless  my  sponge  bath!  You 
cion't  mean  it !" 

"Yes.  Dad  has  completed  the  submarine  he 
was  working  on  when  we  were  off  in  the  airship, 
and  it  will  be  launched  the  day  after  to-morrow.'* 

"Oh,  that's  so.  I'd  forgotten  about  it.  He's 
going  to  try  for  the  Government  prize,  isn't  he? 
But  tell  me  more  about  it.  Bless  my  scarf-pin,  but 
I'm  glad  I  met  you !  Going  into  town,  I  take  it. 
[Well,  I  just  came  from  there,  but  I'll  walk  back 
with  you.  Do  you  think — is  there  any  possibility 
— that  I  could  go  with  you?  Of  course,  I  don't 
want  to  crowd  you,  but " 

"Oh,  there'll  be  plenty  of  room,"  replied  the 
young  inventor.  "In  fact,  more,  room  than  we 
had  in  the  airship.  We  were  talking  only  the 
other  day  about  the  possibility  of  you  going  with 
us,  but  we  didn't  think  you'd  risk  it." 

"Risk  it?  Bless  my  liver!  Of  course  I'll  risk 
it!  It  can't  be  as  bad  as  sailing  in  the  air.  You 
can't  fall,  that's  certain." 

"No;  but  maybe  you  can't  rise,"  remarked  Tom 
grimly. 

"Oh,  we  won't  think  of  that.  Of  course,  I'd 
like  to  go.  I  fully  expected  to  be  killed  in  the 
Red  Cloud,  but  as  I  wasn't  I'm  ready  to  take  a 
chance  in  the  water.  On  the  whole,  I  think  I 


68     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

prefer  to  be  buried  at  sea,  anyhow.  Now,  then, 
will  you  take  me?" 

"I  think  I  can  safely  promise,"  answered  Tom 
with  a  smile  at  his  friend's  enthusiasm. 

The  two  were  approaching  the  city,  having 
.walked  along  as  they  talked.  There  were  still 
some  sand  dunes  near  the  road,  and  they  kept  on 
the  side  of  these,  nearest  the  beach,  where  they; 
could  watch  the  breakers. 

"But  you  haven't  told  me  where  you  are  go- 
ing," went  on  Mr.  Damon,  after  blessing  a  few 
dozen  objects.  "Where  do  the  Government  trials 
take  place?" 

"Well,"  replied  the  lad,  "to  be  frank  with  you, 
we  have  abandoned  our  intention  of  trying  for 
the  Government  prize." 

"Not  going  to  try  for  it?  Bless  my  slippers! 
,Why  not?  Isn't  fifty  thousand  dollars  worth 
striving  for  ?  And,  with  the  kind  of  a  submarine 
you  say  you  have,  you  ought  to  be  able  to  win." 

"Yes,  probably  we  could  win,"  admitted  the 
young  inventor,  "but  we  are  going  to  try  for  a 
better  prize." 

"A  better  one?    I  don't  understand." 

"Sunken  treasure,"  explained  Tom.  "There's  a 
ship  sunk  off  the  coast  of  Uruguay,  with  three 
hundred  thousand  dollars  in  gold  bullion  aboard, 
and  I  are  going  to  try  to  recover  that  in 


MR.  DAMON  WILL  GO  G$ 

submarine.  We're  going  to  start  day  after  to- 
morrow, and,  if  you  like,  you  may  go  along." 

"Go  along!  Of  course  I'll  go  along!"  cried 
the  eccentric  man.  "But  I  never  heard  of  such 
a  thing.  Sunken  treasure !  Three  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars  in  gold !  My,  what  a  lot  of  money ! 
And  to  go  after  it  in  a  submarine!  It's  as  good 
as  a  story !" 

"Yes,  we  hope  to  recover  all  the  treasure,"  said 
the  lad.  "We  ought  to  be  able  to  claim  at  least 
half  of  it" 

"Bless  my  pocketbook!"  cried  Mr.  Damon,  but 
Tom  did  not  hear  him.  At  that  instant  his  atten- 
tion was  attracted  by  seeing  two  men  emerge  from 
behind  the  sand  dune  near  which  he  and  Mr. 
Damon  had  halted  momentarily,  when  the  youth 
explained  about  the  treasure.  The  man  looked 
sharply  at  Tom.  A  moment  later  the  first  man 
was  joined  by  another,  and  at  the  sight  of  him 
our  hero  could  not  repress  an  exclamation  of 
alarm.  For  the  second  man  was  none  other  than 
Addison  Berg. 

The  latter  glanced  quickly  at  Tom,  and  then, 
with  a  hasty  word  to  his  companion,  the  two 
swung  around  and  made  off  in  the  opposite  direc- 
tion to  that  in  which  they  had  been  walking. 

"What's  the  matter?"  asked  Mr.  Damon,  see- 
ing the  young  inventor  was  strangely  affected.  * 


yo     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT     ' 

"That — that  man,"  stammered  the  lad. 

"You  don't  mean  to  tell  me  that  was  one  of 
tfie  Happy  Harry  gang,  do  you?" 

"No.  But  one,  or  both  of  those  men,  may 
prove  to  be  worse.  That  second  man  was  Addi- 
son  Berg,  and  he's  agent  for  a  firm  of  submarine 
boat  builders  who  are  rivals  of  dad's.  Berg  has 
been  trying  to  find  out  why  we  abandoned  our 
intention  of  competing  for  the  Government  prize." 

"I  hope  you  didn't  tell  him." 

"I  didn't  intend  to,"  replied  Tom,  smiling  grim-* 
ly,  "but  I'm  afraid  I  have,  however.  He  certainly 
overheard  what  I  said.  I  spoke  too  loud.  Yes, 
he  must  have  heard  me.  That's  why  he  hurried 
off  so." 

"Possibly  no  harm  is  done.  You  didn't  give  the 
location  of  the  sunken  ship." 

"No;  but  I  guess  from  what  I  said  it  will  be 
easy  enough  to  find.  Well,  if  we're  going  to 
have  a  fight  for  the  possession  of  that  sunken  gold, 
I'm  ready  for  it.  The  Advance  is  well  equipped 
for  a  battle.  I  must  tell  dad  of  this.  It's  m^ 
fault." 

"And  partly  mine,  for  asking  you  such  leading, 
questions  in  a  public  place,"  declared  Mr.  Damon. 
"Bless  my  coat-tails,  but  I'm  sorry !  Maybe,  after 
all,  those  men  were  so  interested  in  what  they. 


MR.  DAMON  WILL  GO  71 

themselves  were  saying  that  they  didn't  under- 
stand what  you  said." 

But  if  there  had  been  any  doubts  on  this  score 
they  would  have  been  dissolved  had  Tom  and 
his  friend  been  able  to  see  the  actions  of  Mr. 
Berg  and  his  companion  a  little  later.  The  plans 
of  the  treasure-hunters  had  been  revealed  to  their 
enemies. 


CHAPTER 

ANOTHER    TREASURE   EXPEDITION1 

WHILE  Tom  and  Mr.  Damon  continued  on  to 
Atlantis  after  the  oil,  the  young  inventor  lament- 
ing' from  time  to  time  that  his  remarks  about  the 
real  destination  of  the  Advance  had  been  over- 
heard by  Mr.  Berg,  the  latter  and  his  companion 
were  hastening  back  along  the  path  that  ran  on 
one  side  of  the  sand  dunes. 

"What's  your  hurry?"  asked  Mr.  Maxwell, 
who  was  with  the  submarine  agent.  "You  turned 
around  as  if  you  were  shot  when  you  saw  that 
man  and  the  lad.  There  didn't  appear  to  be  any 
cause  for  such  a  hurry.  From  what  I  could 
hear  tjiey  were  talking  about  a  submarine.  You're 
in  the  same  business.  You  might  be  friends." 

"Yes,  we  might,"  admitted  Mr.  Berg  with  a 
peculiar  smile;  "but,  unless  I'm  very  much  mis- 
taken, we're  going  to  be  rivals." 

"Rivals?    What  do  you  mean?" 

"I  can't  tell  you  now.  Perhaps  I  may  later. 
72 


'ANOTHER  TREASURE  EXPEDITION        73 

But  if  yota  don't  mind,  walk  a  little  faster,  please. 
I  want  to  get  to  a  long-distance  telephone." 

"What  for?" 

"I  have  just  overheard  something  that  I  wish' 
to  communicate  to  my  employers,  Bentley  & 
Eagert." 

"Overheard  something?  I  don't  see  what  it 
could  be,  unless  that  lad " 

"YouTI  learn  in  good  time,"  went  on  the  sub- 
marine agent.  "But  I  must  telephone  at  once." 

A  little  later  the  two  men  had  reached  a  trolley 
line  that  ran  into  Atlantis,  and  they  arrived  at 
the  city  before  Mr.  Damon  and  Tom  got  there, 
as  the  latter  had  to  go  by  a  circuitous  route. 
Mr.  Berg  lost  no  time  in  calling  up  his  firm  by 
telephone. 

"I  have  had  another  talk  with  Mr.  Swift,"  he 
reported  to  Mr.  Bentley,  who  came  to  the  instru- 
ment in  Philadelphia. 

"Well,  what  does  he  say?"  was  the  impatient 
question.  "I  can't  understand  his  not  wanting 
to  try  for  the  Government  prize.  It  is  astonish- 
^ing.  You  said  you  were  going  to  discover  the 
reason,  Mr.  Berg,  but  you  haven't  done  so." 

"I  have." 

"What  is  it?" 

"Well,  the  reason  Mr.  Swift  and  his  son  don't 
care  to  try  for  the  fifty  thousand  dollar  prize  is 


74     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

that  they  are  after  one  of  three  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars." 

"Three  hundred  thousand  dollars!'*  cried  Mr* 
Bentley.  "What  government  is  going  to  offer 
such  a  prize  as  that  for  submarines,  when  they 
are  getting  almost  as  common  as  airships?  We 
ought  to  have  a  try  for  that  ourselves.  What 
government  is  it?" 

"No  government  at  all.  But  I  think  we  ottgW 
to  have  a  try  for  it,  Mr.  Bentley." 

"Explain." 

"Well,  I  have  just  learned,  most  accidentally, 
that  the  Swifts  are  going  after  sunken  treasure — 
three  hundred  thousand  dollars  in  gold  bullion." 

"Sunken  treasure?    Where?" 

"I  don't  know  exactly,  but  off  the  coast  of 
Uruguay,"  and  Mr.  Berg  rapidly  related  what 
he  had  overheard  Tom  tell  Mr.  Damon.  Mr. 
Bentley  was  much  excited  and  impatient  for  more 
details,  but  his  agent  could  not  give  them  to  him. 

"Well,"  concluded  the  senior  member  of  the 
firm  of  submarine  boat  builders,  "if  the  Swifts 
are  going  after  treasure,  so  can  we.  Come  to 
Philadelphia  at  once,  Mr.  Berg,  and  we'll  talk^ 
this  matter  over.  There  is  no  time  to  lose.  We 
can  afford  to  forego  the  Government  prize  for 
the  chance  of  getting  a  much  larger  one.  We 
have  as  much  right  to  search  for  the  sunken  gold 


ANOTHER  TREASURE  EXPEDITION        73 

as  the  Swifts  have.  Come  here  at  once,  and  we 
will  make  our  plans." 

"All  right,"  agreed  the  agent  with  a  smile  as  he 
-hung  up  the  receiver.  "I  guess,"  he  murmured 
to  himself,  "that  you  won't  be  so  high  and  mighty 
with  me  after  this,  Tom  Swift.  We'll  see  who 
has  the  best  boat,  after  all.  We'll  have  a  contest 
and  a  competition,  but  not  for  a  government 
prize.  It  will  be  for  the  sunken  gold." 

It  was  easy  to  see  that  Mr.  Berg  was  much 
pleased  with  himself. 

Meanwhile,  Tom  and  Mr.  Damon  had  reached 
Atlantis,  and  had  purchased  the  oil.  They  started 
back,  but  Tom  took  a  street  leading  toward  the 
center  of  the  place,  instead  of  striking  for  the 
beach  path,  along  which  they  had  come. 

"Where  are  you  going?"  asked  Mr.  Damon. 

"I  want  to  see  if  that  Andy  Foger  has  come 
back  here,"  replied  the  lad,  and  he  told  of  having 
been  shut  in  the  tank  by  the  bully. 

"I've  never  properly  punished  him  for  that 
trick,"  he  went  on,  "though  we  did  manage  to 
burst  his  auto  tires.  I'm  curious  to  know  how  he 
knew  enough  to  turn  that  gear  and  shut  the  tank 
door.  He  must  have  been  loitering  near  the  shop, 
seen  me  go  in  the  submarine  alone,  watched  his 
chance  and  sneaked  in  after  me.  But  I'd  like  to 
get  a  complete  explanation,  and  if  I  once  got  hold 


76     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

of  Andy  I  could  make  him  talk,"  and  Ton? 
clenched  his  fist  in  a  manner  that  augured  no  good 
for  the  squint-eyed  lad.  "He  was  stopping  at 
the  same  hotel  with  Mr.  Berg,  and  he  hurried 
away  after  the  trick  he  played  on  me.  I  next 
saw  him  in  Shopton,  but  I  thought  perhaps  he 
might  have  come  back  here.  I'm  going  to  in- 
quire at  the  hotel,"  he  added. 

Andy's  name  was  not  on  the  register  since  his 
hasty  flight,  however,  and  Tom,  after  inquiring 
from  the  clerk  and  learning  that  Mr.  Berg  was 
still  a  guest  at  the  hostelry,  rejoined  Mr.  Damon. 

"Bless  my  hat!"  exclaimed  that  eccentric  in- 
dividual as  they  started  back  to  the  lonely  beach 
where  the  submarine  was  awaiting  her  advent 
into  the  water.  "The  more  I  think  of  the  trip 
I'm  going  to  take,  the  more  I  like  it." 

"I  hope  you  will,"  remarked  Tom.  "It  will 
be  a  new  experience  for  all  of  us.  There's  only 
one  thing  worrying  me,  and  that  is  about  Mr. 
Berg  having  overheard  what  I  said." 

"Oh,  don't  worry  about  that.  Can't  we  slip 
away  and  leave  no  trace  in  the  water  ?" 

"I  hope  so,  but  I  must  tell  dad  and  Mr.  Sharp 
about  what  happened." 

The  aged  inventor  was  not  a  little  alarmed  at 
what  his  son  related,  but  he  agreed  with  Mr. 
Damon,  whom  he  heartily  welcomed,  that  little 


ANOTHER  TREASURE  EXPEDITION         77 

was  to  be  apprehended  from  Berg  and  his  em- 
ployers. 

"They  know  we're  after  a  sunken  wreck,  but 
that's  all  they  do  know,"  said  Tom's  father.  "We 
are  only  waiting  for  the  arrival  of  Captain  Alden 
Weston,  and  then  we  will  go.  Even  if  Bentley 
&  Eagert  make  a  try  for  the  treasure  we'll  have 
the  start  of  them,  and  this  will  be  a  case  of  first 
come,  first  served.  Don't  worry,  Tom.  I'm  glad 
you're  going,  Mr.  Damon.  Come,  I  will  show 
you  our  submarine." 

As  father  and  son,  with  their  guest,  were  going 
to  the  machine  shop,  Mr.  Sharp  met  them.  He 
had  a  letter  in  his  hand. 

"Good  news!"  the  balloonist  cried.  "Captain 
Weston  will  be  with  us  to-morrow.  He  will  ar- 
rive at  the  Beach  Hotel  in  Atlantis,  and  wants 
one  of  us  to  meet  him  there.  He  has  considerable 
information  about  the  wreck." 

'The  Beach  Hotel,"  murmured  Tom.  "That 
is  where  Mr.  Berg  is  stopping.  I  hope  he  doesn't 
worm  any  of  our  secret  from  Captain  Weston," 
and  it  was  with  a  feeling  of  uneasiness  that  the 
young  inventor  continued  after  his  father  and 
Mr.  Damon  to  where  the  submarine  was. 


CHAPTER  IX 
CAPTAIN  WESTON'S  ADVENT 

"BLESS  my  water  ballast,  but  that  certainly  is 
a  fine  boat !"  cried  Mr.  Damon,  when  he  had  been 
shown  over  the  new  craft.  "I  think  I  shall  feel 
even  safer  in  that  than  in  the  Red  Cloud" 

"Oh,  don't  go  back  on  the  airship !"  exclaimed 
Mr.  Sharp.  "I  was  counting  on  taking  you  on 
another  trip." 

"Well,  maybe  after  we  get  back  from  under 
the  ocean,"  agreed  Mr.  Damon.  "I  particularly 
like  the  cabin  arrangements  of  the  Advance.  I 
think  I  shall  enjoy  myself." 

He  would  be  hard  to  please  who  could  not  take 
pleasure  from  a  trip  in  the  submarine.  The 
cabin  was  particularly  fine,  and  the  sleeping  ar- 
rangements were  good. 

More  supplies  could  be  carried  than  was  pos- 
sible on  the  airship,  and  there  was  more  room 
in  which  to  cook  and  serve  food.  Mr.  Damon 
was  fond  of  good  living,  and  the  kitchen  pleased 
him  as  much  as  anything  else. 

58 


CAPTAIN  WESTON'S  ADVENT  79 

Early  the  next  morning  Tom  set  out  for  At- 
lantis, to  meet  Captain  Weston  at  the  hotel.  The 
young  inventor  inquired  of  the  clerk  whether  the 
seafaring  man  had  arrived,  and  was  told  that 
he  had  come  the  previous  evening. 

"Is  he  in  his  room?"  asked  Tom. 

"No,"  answered  the  clerk  with  a  peculiar  grin. 
"He's  an  odd  character.  Wouldn't  go  to  bed 
last  night  until  we  had  every  window  in  his 
room  open,  though  it  was  blowing  quite  hard, 
and  likely  to  storm.  The  captain  said  he  was 
used  to  plenty  of  fresh  air.  Well,  I  guess  he  got 
it,  all  right." 

"Where  is  he  now?"  asked  the  youth,  wonder- 
ing what  sort  of  an  individual  he  was  to  meet. 

"Oh,  he  was  up  before  sunrise,  so  some  of  the 
scrubwomen  told  me.  They  met  him  coming 
from  his  room,  and  he  went  right  down  to  the 
beach  with  a  big  telescope  he  always  carries  with 
him.  He  hasn't  come  back  yet.  Probably  he's 
down  on  the  sand." 

"Hasn't  he  had  breakfast?" 

"No.  He  left  word  he  didn't  want  to  eat  until 
afeout  four  bells,  whatever  time  that  is." 

"It's  ten  o'clock,"  replied  Tom,  who  had  been 
studying  up  on  sea  terms  lately.  "Eight  bells  is 
eight  o'clock  in  the  morning,  or  four  in  the  after- 
neon  or  eight  at  night,  according  to  the  time  of 


80     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

day.  Then  there's  one  bell  for  every  half  hour, 
so  four  bells  this  morning  would  be  ten  o'clock 
in  this  watch,  I  suppose." 

"Oh,  that's  the  way  it  goes,  eh?"  asked  the 
clerk.  "I  never  could  get  it  through  my  head. 
What  is  twelve  o'clock  noon?" 

"That's  eight  bells,  too;  so  is  twelve  o'clock 
midnight.  Eight  bells  is  as  high  as  they  go  on  a 
ship.  But  I  guess  I'll  go  down  and  see  if  I  can 
meet  the  captain.  It  will  soon  be  ten  o'clock,  or 
four  bells,  and  he  must  be  hungry  for  breakfast. 
By  the  way,  is  that  Mr.  Berg  still  here?" 

"No;  he  went  away  early  this  morning.  He 
and  Captain  Weston  seemed  to  strike  up  quite 
an  acquaintance,  the  night  clerk  told  me.  They 
sat  and  smoked  together  until  long  after  mid- 
night, or  eight  bells,"  and  the  clerk  smiled  as  he 
glanced  down  at  the  big  diamond  ring  on  his 
little  finger. 

"They  did?"  fairly  exploded  Tom,  for  he  had 
visions  of  what  the  wily  Mr.  Berg  might  worm 
out  of  the  simple  captain. 

"Yes.  Why,  isn't  the  captain  a  proper  man  to 
make  friends  with  ?"  and  the  clerk  looked  at  Tom 
curiously. 

"Oh,  yes,  of  course,"  was  the  hasty  answer.  "I 
guess  I'll  go  and  see  if  I  can  find  him — the  cap- 
tain, I  mean." 


CAPTAIN  WESTON'S  ADVENT  gn 

Tom  hardly  knew  what  to  think.  He  wished 
his  father,  or  Mr.  Sharp,  had  thought  to  warn 
Captain  Weston  against  talking  of  the  wreck.  It 
might  be  too  late  now. 

The  young  inventor  hurried  to  the  beach,  which 
was  not  far  from  the  hotel.  He  saw  a  solitary 
figure  pacing  up  and  down,  and  from  the  fact 
that  the  man  stopped,  every  now  and  then,  and 
gazed  seaward  through  a  large  telescope,  the  lad 
concluded  it  was  the  captain  for  whom  he  was 
in  search.  He  approached,  his  footsteps  making 
no  sound  on  the  sand.  The  man  was  still  gazing 
through  the  glass. 

"Captain  Weston?"  spoke  Tom. 

Without  a  show  of  haste,  though  the  voice  must 
have  startled  him,  the  captain  turned.  Slowly 
he  lowered  the  telescope,  and  then  he  replied 
softly : 

'That's  my  name.  Who  are  you,  if  I  may 
ask?" 

Tom  was  struck,  more  than  by  anything  else, 
by  the  gentle  voice  of  the  seaman.  He  had  pre- 
pared himself,  from  the  description  of  Mn  Sharp, 
to  meet  a  gruff,  bewhiskered  individual,  with  a 
voice  like  a  crosscut  saw,  and  a  rolling  gait.  In- 
stead he  saw  a  man  of  medium  size,  with  a  smooth 
face,  merry  blue  eyes,  and  the  softest  voice  and 
gentlest  manner  imaginable.  Tom  was  very  much 


82     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

disappointed.  He  had  looked  for  a  regular  sea- 
dog,  and  he  met  a  landsman,  as  he  said  after- 
ward. But  it  was  not  long  before  our  hero 
changed  his  mind  regarding  Captain  Weston. 

"I'm  Tom  Swift,"  the  owner  of  that  name 
said,  "and  I  have  been  sent  to  show  you  the  way 
to  where  our  ship  is  ready  to  launch."  The  young 
inventor  refrained  from  mentioning  submarine, 
as  it  was  the  wish  of  Mr.  Sharp  to  disclose  this 
feature  of  the  voyage  to  the  sailor  himself. 

"Ha,  I  thought  as  much,"  resumed  the  captain 
quietly.  "It's  a  fine  day,  if  I  may  be  permitted  to 
say  so,"  and  he  seemed  to  hesitate,  as  if  there 
was  some  doubt  whether  or  not  he  might  make 
that  observation. 

"It  certainly  is,"  agreed  the  lad.  Then,  with 
a  smile  he  added :  "It  is  nearly  eight  bells." 

"Ha !"  exclaimed  the  captain,  also  smiling,  but 
even  his  manner  of  saying  "Ha !"  was  less  demon- 
strative than  that  of  most  persons.  "I  believe  I 
am  getting  hungry,  if  I  may  be  allowed  the  re- 
mark," and  again  he  seemed  asking  Tom's  pardon 
for  mentioning  the  fact. 

"Perhaps  you  will  come  back  to  the  cabin  and 
have  a  little  breakfast  with  me,"  he  went  on.  "I 
don't  know  what  sort  of  a  galley  or  cook  they 
have  aboard  the  Beach  Hotel,  but  it  can't  be  much 
worse  than  some  I've  tackled." 


CAPTAIN  WESTON'S  ADVENT  83 

"No,  thank  you,"  answered  the  youth.  "I've 
had  my  breakfast.  But  I'll  wait  for  you,  and 
then  I'd  like  to  get  back.  Dad  and  Mr.  Sharp 
are  anxious  to  meet  you." 

''And  I  am  anxious  to  meet  them,  if  you  don't 
mind  me  mentioning  it,"  was  the  reply,  as  the 
captain  once  more  put  the  spyglass  to  his  eye 
and  took  an  observation.  "Not  many  sails  in 
sight  this  morning,"  he  added.  "But  the  weather 
is  fine,  and  we  ought  to  get  off  in  good  shape  to 
hunt  for  the  treasure  about  which  Mr.  Sharp 
wrote  me.  I  believe  we  are  going  after  treasure," 
he  said ;  "that  is,  if  you  don't  mind  talking  about 
it." 

"Not  in  the  least,"  replied  Tom  quickly,  think- 
ing this  a  good  opportunity  for  broaching  a  sub* 
ject  that  was  worrying  him.  "Did  you  meet  a 
Mr.  Berg  here  last  night,  Captain  Weston?"  lie 
went  on. 

"Yes.  Mr.  Berg  and  I  had  quite  a  talk.  He 
is  a  well-informed  man." 

"Did  he  mention  the  sunken  treasure?"  asked 
the  lad,  eager  to  find  out  if  his  suspicions  were 
true. 

"Yes,  he  did,  if  you'll  excuse  me  putting  it  so 
plainly,"  answered  the  seaman,  as  if  Tom  might 
be  offended  at  so  direct  a  reply.  But  the  young 


84     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

inventor  was  soon  to  learn  that  this  was  only  an 
odd  habit  with  the  seaman. 

"Did  he  want  to  know  where  the  wreck  of  the 
Boldero  was  located?"  continued  the  lad.  "That 
is,  did  he  try  to  discover  if  you  knew  anything 
about  it?3' 

"Yes,"  said  Mr.  Weston,  "he  did.  He  pumped 
me,  if  you  are  acquainted  with  that  term,  and 
are  not  offended  by  it.  You  see,  when  I  arrived 
here  I  made  inquiries  as  to  where  your  father's 
place  was  located.  Mr.  Berg  overheard  me,  and 
introduced  himself  as  agent  for  a  shipbuilding 
concern.  He  was  very  friendly,  and  when  he 
said  he  knew  you  and  your  parent,  I  thought  he 
was  all  right." 

Tom's  heart  sank.  His  worst  fears  were  to  be 
realized,  he  thought. 

"Yes,  he  and  I  talked  considerable,  if  I  may 
be  permitted  to  say  so,"  went  on  the  captain.  "He 
seemed  to  know  about  the  wreck  of  the  Boldero, 
and  that  she  had  three  hundred  thousand  dollars 
in  gold  aboard.  The  only  thing  he  didn't  know 
was  where  the  wreck  was  located.  He  knew  it 
was  off  Uruguay  somewhere,  but  just  where  he 
couldn't  say.  So  he  asked  me  if  I  knew,  since 
he  must  have  concluded  that  I  was  going  with 
you  on  the  gold-hunting  expedition." 


CAPTAIN  WESTON'S  ADVENT  85 

"And  you  do  know,  don't  you?"  asked  Tom 
eagerly. 

"Well,  I  have  it  pretty  accurately  charted  out, 
if  you  will  allow  me  that  expression,"  was  the 
calm  answer.  "I  took  pains  to  look  it  up  at  the 
request  of  Mr.  Sharp." 

"And  he  wanted  to  worm  that  information 
out  of  you?"  inquired  the  youth  excitedly. 

"Yes,  I'm  afraid  he  did." 

"Did  you  give  him  the  location  ?" 

"Well,"  remarked  the  captain,  as  he  took  an- 
other observation  before  closing  up  the  telescope, 
"you  see,  while  we  were  talking,  I  happened  to 
drop  a  copy  of  a  map  I'd  made,  showing  the  loca- 
tion of  the  wreck.  Mr.  Berg  picked  it  up  to 
hand  to  me,  and  he  looked  at  it." 

"Oh !"  cried  Tom.  "Then  he  knows  just  where 
the  treasure  is,  and  he  may  get  to  it  ahead  of  us. 
It's  too  bad." 

"Yes,"  continued  the  seaman  calmly,  "Mr. 
Berg  picked  up  that  map,  and  he  looked  very 
closely  at  the  latitude  and  longitude  I  had  marked 
as  the  location  of  the  wreck." 

"Then  he  won't  have  any  trouble  finding  it," 
murmured  our  hero. 

"Eh?  What's  that?"  asked  the  captain,  "if  I 
may  be  permitted  to  request  you  to  repeat  what 
you  said." 


86     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

"I  say  he  won't  have  any  trouble  locating  the 
sunken  B older o"  repeated  Tom. 

"Oh,  but  I  think  he  will,  if  he  depends  on  that 
map,"  was  the  unexpected  reply.  "You  see,"  ex- 
plained Mr.  Weston,  "I'm  not  so  simple  as  I  look. 
I  sensed  what  Mr.  Berg  was  after,  the  minute 
he  began  to  talk  to  me.  So  I  fixed  up  a  little 
game  on  him.  The  map  which  I  dropped  on  pur- 
pose, not  accidentally,  where  he  would  see  it,  did 
have  the  location  of  the  wreck  marked.  Only  it 
didn't  happen  to  be  the  right  location.  It  was. 
about  five  hundred  miles  out  of  the  way,  and  I 
rather  guess  if  Mr.  Berg  and  his  friends  go  there 
for  treasure  they'll  find  considerable  depth  of 
water  and  quite  a  lonesome  spot.  Oh,  no,  I'm 
not  as  easy  as  I  look,  if  you  don't  mind  me  men- 
tioning that  fact;  and  when  a  scoundrel  sets  out 
to  get  the  best  of  me,  I  generally  try  to  turn  the 
tables  on  him.  I've  seen  such  men  as  Mr.  Berg 
before.  I'm  afraid,  I'm  very  much  afraid,  the 
sight  he  had  of  the  fake  map  I  made  won't  do 
him  much  good.  Well,  I  declare,  it's  past  four 
bells.  Let's  go  to  breakfast,  if  you  don't  mind  me 
asking  you,"  and  with  that  the  captain  started 
off  up  the  beach,  Tom  following,  his  ideas  all  iri 
a  whirl  at  the  unlooked-for  outcome  of  the 
interview. 


CHAPTER  X 

TRIAL  OF  THE  SUBMARINE 

TOM  felt  such  a  relief  at  hearing  of  Captain 
.Western's  ruse  that  his  appetite,  sharpened  by  an 
early  breakfast  and  the  sea  air,  came  to  him  with 
a  rush,  and  he  had  a  second  morning  meal  with 
the  odd  sea  captain,  who  chuckled  heartily  when 
he  thought  of  how  Mr.  Berg  had  been  deceived. 

"Yes,"  resumed  Captain  Weston,  over  his 
bacon  and  eggs,  "I  sized  him  up  for  a  slick  article 
as  soon  as  I  laid  eyes  on  him.  But  he  evidently 
misjudged  me,  if  I  may  be  permitted  that  term. 
Oh,  well,  we  may  meet  again,  after  we  secure  the 
treasure,  and  then  I  can  show  him  the  real  map 
of  the  location  of  the  wreck." 

"Then  you  have  it?"  inquired  the  lad  eagerly. 

Captain  Weston  nodded,  before  hiding  his  face 
behind  a  large  cup  of  coffee;  his  third,  by  the 
way. 

"Let  me  see  it  ?"  asked  Tom  quickly. 

The  captain  set  down  his  cup.  He  looked  care- 
87 


88     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

fully  about  the  hotel  dining-room.  There  were 
several  guests,  who,  like  himself,  were  having  a 
late  breakfast. 

"It's  a  good  plan,"  the  sailor  said  slowly,  "when 
you're  going  into  unknown  waters,  and  don't  want!, 
to  leave  a  wake  for  the  other  fellow  to  follow, 
to  keep  your  charts  locked  up.  If  it's  all  the  same 
to  you,"  he  added  diffidently,  "I'd  rather  wait 
until  we  get  to  where  your  father  and  Mr.  Sharp 
are  before  displaying  the  real  map.  I've  no  ob- 
jection to  showing  you  the  one  Mr.  Berg  saw," 
and  again  he  chuckled. 

The  young  inventor  blushed  at  his  indiscretion. 
He  felt  that  the  news  of  the  search  for  the  treasure 
had  leaked  out  through  him,  though  he  was  the 
one  to  get  on  the  trail  of  it  by  seeing  the  article 
in  the  paper.  Now  he  had  nearly  been  guilty  of 
another  break.  He  realized  that  he  must  be  more 
cautious.  The  captain  saw  his  confusion,  and 
said: 

"I  know  how  it  is.  You're  eager  to  get  under 
way.  I  don't  blame  you.  I  was  the  same  myself 
when  I  was  your  age.  But  we'll  soon  be  at  your 
place,  and  then  I'll  tell  you  all  I  know.  Sufficient, 
now,  to  say  that  I  believe  I  have  located  the  wreck 
within  a  few  miles.  I  got  on  the  track  of  a 
sailor  who  had  met  one  of  the  shipwrecked  crew 
of  the  Boldero,  and  he  gave  me  valuable  infer- 


TRIAL   OF   THE   SUBMARINE  8gj 

ination.  Now  tell  me  about  the  craft  we  are  going 
in.  A  good  deal  depends  on  that." 

Tom  hardly  knew  what  to  answer.  He  re- 
called what  Mr.  Sharp  had  said  about  not  want- 
ing to  tell  Captain  Weston,  until  the  last  moment, 
that  they  were  going  in  a  submarine,  for  fear 
the  old  seaman  (for  he  was  old  in  point  of  service 
though  not  in  years)  might  not  care  to  risk  an 
under-water  trip.  Therefore  Tom  hesitated 
Seeing  it,  Captain  Weston  remarked  quietly: 

"I  mean,  what  type  is  your  submarine  ?  Does 
it  go  by  compressed  air,  or  water  power?" 

"How  do  you  know  it's  a  submarine?"  asked 
the  young  inventor  quickly,  and  in  some  con- 
fusion. 

"Easy  enough.  When  Mr.  Berg  thought  he 
was  pumping  me,  I  was  getting  a  lot  of  infor- 
mation from  him.  He  told  me  about  the  sub- 
marine his  firm  was  building,  and,  naturally,  he 
mentioned  yours.  One  thing  led  to  another  until 
I  got  a  pretty  good  idea  of  your  craft.  What  do 
you  call  it?" 

"The  Advance." 

"Good  name.  I  like  it,  if  you  don't  mind  me 
speaking  of  it." 

"We  were  afraid  you  wouldn't  like  it,"  com-* 
mented  Tom. 

"What,  the  name?" 


90     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

"No,  the  idea  of  going  in  a  submarine." 

"Oh,"  and  Captain  Weston  laughed.  "Well, 
it  takes  more  than  that  to  frighten  me,  if  you'll 
excuse  the  expression.  I've  always  had  a  hank* 
ering  to  go  under  the  surface,  after  so  many  yeari 
spent  on  top.  Once  or  twice  I  came  near  going 
under,  whether  I  wanted  to  or  not,  in  wrecks,  but 
I  think  I  prefer  your  way.  Now,  if  you're  all 
done,  and  don't  mind  me  speaking  of  it,  I  think 
we'll  start  for  your  place.  We  must  hustle,  for 
Berg  may  yet  get  on  our  trail,  even  if  he  has 
got  the  wrong  route,"  and  he  laughed  again. 

It  was  no  small  relief  to  Mr.  Swift  and  Mr. 
Sharp  to  learn  that  Captain  Weston  had  no  ob- 
jections to  a  submarine,  as  they  feared  he  might 
have.  The  captain,  in  his  diffident  manner,  made 
friends  at  once  with  the  treasure-hunters,  and  he 
and  Mr.  Damon  struck  up  quite  an  acquaintance. 
Tom  told  of  his  meeting  with  the  seaman,  and 
the  latter  related,  with  much  gusto,  the  story  of 
how  he  had  fooled  Mr.  Berg. 

"Well,  perhaps  you'd  like  to  come  and  take  a 
look  at  the  craft  that  is  to  be  our  home  while 
we're  beneath  the  water,"  suggested  Mr.  Swift^ 
and  the  sailor  assenting,  the  aged  inventor,  with 
much  pride,  assisted  by  Tom,  pointed  out  on  the 
*  Advance  the  features  of  interest.  Captain  Weston 


TRIAL   OF   THE  SUBMARINE  91 

gave  hearty  approval,  making  one  or  two  minor 
suggestions,  which  were  carried  out. 

"And  so  you  launch  her  to-morrow,"  he  con- 
cluded, when  he  had  completed  the  inspection 
"Well,  I  hope  it's  a  success,  if  I  may  be  per- 
mitted to  say  so." 

There  were  busy  times  around  the  machine  shop 
next  day.  So  much  secrecy  had  been  maintained 
that  none  of  the  residents,  or  visitors  to  the  coast 
resort,  were  aware  that  in  their  midst  was  such 
a  wonderful  craft  as  the  submarine.  The  last 
touches  were  put  on  the  under-water  ship;  the 
ways,  leading  from  the  shop  to  the  creek,  were 
well  greased,  and  all  was  in  readiness  for  the 
launching.  The  tide  would  soon  be  at  flood,  and 
then  the  boat  would  slide  down  the  timbers  (at 
least,  that  was  the  hope  of  all),  and  would  float 
in  the  element  meant  to  receive  her.  It  was  de- 
cided that  no  one  should  be  aboard  when  the 
launching  took  place,  as  there  was  an  element  of 
risk  attached,  since  it  was  not  known  just  how 
buoyant  the  craft  was.  It  was  expected  she  would 
float,  until  the  filled  tanks  took  her  to  the  bottom, 
but  there  was  no  telling. 

"It  will  be  flood  tide  now  in  ten  minutes,"  re- 
marked Captain  Weston  quietly,  looking  at  his 
watch.  Then  he  took  an  observation  through  the 
telescope.  "No  hostile  ships  hanging  in  the 


92     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

offing,"  he  reported.  "All  is  favorable,  if  you 
don't  mind  me  saying  so,"  and  he  seemed  afraid 
lest  his  remark  might  give  offense. 

"Get  ready,"  ordered  Mr.  Swift.  "Tom,  see 
that  the  ropes  are  all  clear,"  for  it  had  been  de- 
cided to  ease  the  Advance  down  into  the  water  by 
means  of  strong  cables  and  windlasses,  as  the 
creek  was  so  narrow  that  the  submarine,  if 
launched  in  the  usual  way,  would  poke  her  nose 
into  the  opposite  mud  bank  and  stick  there. 

"All  clear,"  reported  the  young  inventor. 

"High  tide!"  exclaimed  the  captain  a  moment 
later,  snapping  shut  his  watch. 

"Let  go!"  ordered  Mr.  Swift,  and  the  vari- 
ous windlasses  manned  by  the  inventor,  Tom  and 
the  others  began  to  unwind  their  ropes.  Slowly 
the  ship  slid  along  the  greased  ways.  Slowly  she 
approached  the  water.  How  anxiously  they  all 
watched  her !  Nearer  and  nearer  her  blunt  nose, 
with  the  electric  propulsion  plate  and  the  auxiliary 
propeller,  came  to  the  creek,  the  waters  of  which 
were  quiet  now,  awaiting  the  turn  of  the  tide. 

Now  little  waves  lapped  the  steel  sides.  I* 
was  the  first  contact  of  the  Advance  with  her 
native  element. 

"Pay  out  the  rope  faster !"  cried  Mr.  Swift. 

The  windlasses  were  turned  more  quickly. 
Foot  by  foot  the  craft  slid  along  until,  with  a 


TRIAL   OF   THE   SUBMARINE  95 

final  rush,  the  stern  left  the  ways  and  the  suB- 
marine  was  afloat.  Now  would  come  the  test 
Would  she  ride  on  an  even  keel,  or  sink  out  of 
sight,  or  turn  turtle  ?  They  all  ran  to  the  water's 
edge,  Tom  in  the  lead. 

"Hurrah!"  suddenly  yelled  the  lad,  trying  to 
stand  on  his  head.  "She  floats!  She's  a  suc- 
cess! Come  on!  Let's  get  aboard!" 

For,  true  enough,  the  Advance  was  riding  like 
a  duck  on  the  water.  She  had  been  proportioned 
just  right,  and  her  lines  were  perfect.  She  rode 
as  majestically  as  did  any  ship  destined  to  sail 
on  the  surface,  and  not  intended  to  do  double 
duty. 

"Come  on,  we  must  moor  her  to  the  pier,"  di- 
rected Mr.  Sharp.  "The  tide  will  turn  in  a  few 
minutes  and  take  her  out  to  sea." 

He  and  Tom  entered  a  small  boat,  and  soon 
the  submarine  was  tied  to  a  small  dock  that  had 
been  built  for  the  purpose. 

"Now  to  try  the  engine,"  suggested  Mr.  Swift, 
who  was  almost  trembling  with  eagerness;  for 
the  completion  of  the  ship  meant  much  to  him. 

"One  moment,"  begged  Captain  Weston.  "If 
you  don't  mind,  I'll  take  an  observation,"  he  went 
on,  and  he  swept  the  horizon  with  his  telescope. 
"All  clear,"  he  reported.  "I  think  we  may  go 
aboard  and  make  a  trial  trip." 


94     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

Little  time  was  lost  in  entering  the  cabin  and 
engine-room,  Garret  Jackson  accompanying  the 
party  to  aid  with  the  machinery.  It  did  not  take 
long  to  start  the  motors,  dynamos  and  the  big 
gasolene  engine  that  was  the  vital  part  of  the 
craft.  A  little  water  was  admitted  to  the  tanks 
for  ballast,  since  the  food  and  other  supplies  were 
not  yet  on  board.  The  Advance  now  floated  with 
the  deck  aft  of  the  conning  tower  showing  about 
two  feet  above  the  surface  of  the  creek.  Mr. 
Swift  and  Tom  entered  the  pilot  house. 

"Start  the  engines,"  ordered  the  aged  inventor, 
"and  we'll  try  my  new  system  of  positive  and 
negative  electrical  propulsion." 

There  was  a  hum  and  whirr  in  the  body  of  the 
ship  beneath  the  feet  of  Tom  and  his  father.  Cap- 
tain Weston  stood  on  the  little  deck  near  the 
conning  tower. 

"All  ready?"  asked  the  youth  through  the 
speaking  tube  to  Mr.  Sharp  and  Mr.  Jackson  in 
the  engine-room. 

"All  ready,"  came  the  answer. 

Tom  threw  over  the  connecting  lever,  while  his 
father  grasped  the  steering  wheel.  The  Advance 
shot  forward,  moving  swiftly  along,  about  half 
submerged. 

"She  goes !    She  goes !"  cried  Tom. 

"She  certainly  does,  if  I  may  be  permitted  to 


TRIAL  OF   THE  SUBMARINE  95 

say  so,"  was  the  calm  contribution  of  Captain 
Weston.  "I  congratulate  you." 

Faster  and  faster  went  the  new  craft.  Mr. 
Swift  headed  her  toward  the  open  sea,  but  stopped 
just  before  passing  out  of  the  creek,  as  he  was 
not  yet  ready  to  venture  into  deep  water. 

"I  want  to  test  the  auxiliary  propellers,"  be 
said.  After  a  little  longer  trial  of  the  electric 
propulsion  plates,  which  were  found  to  work  satis- 
factorily, sending  the  submarine  up  and  down  the 
creek  at  a  fast  rate,  the  screws,  such  as  are  used 
on  most  submarines,  were  put  into  gear.  They 
did  well,  but  were  not  equal  to  the  plates,  nor  was 
so  much  expected  of  them. 

"I  am  perfectly  satisfied,"  announced  Mr.  Swift 
as  he  once  more  headed  the  boat  to  sea.  "I  think, 
Captain  Weston,  you  had  better  go  below  now." 

"Why  so?" 

"Because  I  am  going  to  completely  submerge 
the  craft.  Tom,  close  the  conning  tower  door. 
Perhaps  you  will  come  in  here  with  us,  Captam 
Weston,  though  it  will  be  rather  a  tight  fit." 

"Thank  you,  I  will.  I  want  to  see  how  it  feels 
to  be  in  a  pilot  house  under  water." 

Tom  closed  the  water-tight  door  of  the  con- 
ning tower.  Word  was  sent  through  the  tube 
to  the  engine-room  that  a  more  severe  test  of  the 


0     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

ship  was  about  to  be  made.  The  craft  was  now 
outside  the  line  of  breakers  and  in  the  open  sea. 

"Is  everything  ready,  Tom?"  asked  his  father 
in  a  quiet  voice. 

"Everything,"  replied  the  lad  nervously,  for  the 
Anticipation  of  being  about  to  sink  below  the  sur- 
face was  telling  on  them  all,  even  on  the  calm, 
old  sea  captain. 

"Then  open  the  tanks  and  admit  the  water," 
ordered  Mr.  Swift. 

His  son  turned  a  valve  and  adjusted  some  lev- 
ers. There  was  a  hissing  sound,  and  the  Advance 
began  sinking.  She  was  about  to  dive  beneath 
the  surface  of  the  ocean,  and  those  aboard  her 
were  destined  to  go  through  a  terrible  experience 
before  she  rose  again. 


CHAPTER  XI 

ON   THE  OCEAN   BED 

LOWER  and  lower  sank  the  submarine.  There 
was  a  swirling  and  foaming  of  the  water  as  she 
went  down,  caused  by  the  air  bubbles  which  the 
craft  carried  with  her  in  her  descent.  Only  the 
top  of  the  conning  tower  was  out  of  water  now, 
the  ocean  having  closed  over  the  deck  and  the 
rounded  back  of  the  boat.  Had  any  one  been 
watching  they  would  have  imagined  that  an  ac- 
cident was  taking  place. 

In  the  pilot  house,  with  its  thick  glass  win- 
dows, Tom,  his  father  and  Captain  Weston  looked 
over  the  surface  of  the  ocean,  which  every  minute 
was  coming  nearer  and  nearer  to  them. 

"We'll  be  all  under  in  a  few  seconds,"  spoke 
Tom  in  a  solemn  voice,  as  he  listened  to  the 
water  hissing  into  the  tanks. 

"Yes,  and  then  we  can  see  what  sort  of  progress 
we  will  make,"  added  Mr.  Swift.  "Everything 
is  going  fine,  though/'  he  went  on  cheerfully.  "I 
believe  I  have  a  good  boat." 


98     TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

"There  is  no  doubt  of  it  in  my  mind,"  remarked 
Captain  Weston,  and  Tom  felt  a  little  disap- 
pointed that  the  sailor  did  not  shout  out  some 
such  expression  as  "Shiver  my  timbers!"  or 
"Keel-haul  the  main  braces,  there,  you  lubber!" 
But  Captain  Weston  was  not  that  kind  of  a 
sailor,  though  his  usually  quiet  demeanor  could 
be  quickly  dropped  on  necessity,  as  Tom  learned 
kter. 

A  few  minutes  more  and  the  waters  closed  over 
the  top  of  the  conning  tower.  The  Advance  was 
completely  submerged.  Through  the  thick  glass 
windows  of  the  pilot  house  the  occupants  looked 
out  into  the  greenish  water  that  swirled  about 
them;  but  it  could  not  enter.  Then,  as  the  boat 
went  lower,  the  light  from  above  gradually  died 
out,  and  the  semi-darkness  gave  place  to  gloom. 

"Turn  on  the  electrics  and  the  searchlight, 
Tom,"  directed  his  father. 

There  was  the  click  of  a  switch,  and  the  con- 
ning tower  was  flooded  with  light.  But  as  this 
had  the  effect  of  preventing  the  three  from  peer- 
ing out  into  the  water,  just  as  one  in  a  lighted 
room  cannot  look  out  into  the  night,  Tom  shut 
them  off  and  switched  on  the  great  searchlight. 
This  projected  its  powerful  beams  straight  ahead 
and  there,  under  the  ocean,  was  a  pathway  of  il- 
lumination for  the  treasure-seekers. 


ON  THE  OCEAN  BED  99 

"Fine!"  cried  Captain  Weston,  with  more  en- 
thusiasm than  he  had  yet  manifested.  "That's 
great,  if  you  don't  mind  me  mentioning  it.  How 
deep  are  we?" 

Tom  glanced  at  a  gage  on  the  side  of  the  pilot 
tower. 

"Only  about  sixty  feet,"  he  answered. 

"Then  don't  go  any  deeper!"  cried  the  captain 
hastily.  "I  know  these  waters  around  here,  and 
that's  about  all  the  depth  you've  got  You'll  be 
on  the  bottom  in  a  minute." 

"I  intend  to  get  on  the  bottom  after  a  while/* 
said  Mr.  Swift,  "but  not  here.  I  want  to  try  for 
a  greater  distance  under  water  before  I  come  to 
rest  on  the  ocean's  bed.  But  I  think  we  are  deep 
enough  for  a  test.  Tom,  close  the  tank  intake 
pipes  and  we'll  see  how  the  Advance  will  progress 
when  fully  submerged." 

The  hissing  stopped,  and  then,  wishing  to  see 
how  the  motors  and  other  machinery  would  work, 
the  aged  inventor  and  his  son,  accompanied  by 
Captain  Weston,  descended  from  the  conning 
tower,  by  means  of  an  inner  stairway,  to  the  in- 
terior of  the  ship.  The  submarine  could  be  steered 
and  managed  from  below  or  above.  She  was  now 
floating  about  sixty-five  feet  below  the  surface  of 
the  bay. 

"Well,  how  do  you  like  it?"  asked  Tom  of  Mr. 


100  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

Damon,  as  he  saw  his  friend  in  an  easy  chair  in 
the  living-room  or  main  cabin  of  the  craft,  look- 
ing out  of  one  of  the  plate-glass  windows  on  the 
side. 

"Bless  my  spectacles,  it's  the  most  wonderful 
thing  I  ever  dreamed  of!"  cried  the  queer  char- 
acter, as  he  peered  at  the  mass  of  water  before 
him.  "To  think  that  I'm  away  down  under  the 
surface,  and  yet  as  dry  as  a  bone.  Bless  my 
necktie,  but  it's  great!  What  are  we  going  to 
do  now?" 

"Go  forward,"  replied  the  young  inventor. 

"Perhaps  I  had  better  make  an  observation," 
suggested  Captain  Weston,  taking  his  telescope 
from  under  his  arm,  where  he  had  carried  it 
since  entering  the  craft,  and  opening  it.  "We  may 
run  afoul  of  something,  if  you  don't  mind  me 
mentioning  such  a  disagreeable  subject."  Then, 
as  he  thought  of  the  impossibility  of  using  his 
glass  under  water,  he  closed  it. 

"I  shall  have  little  use  for  this  here,  I'm  afraid/' 
he  remarked  with  a  smile.  "Well,  there's  some 
consolation.  We're  not  likely  to  meet  many  ships 
in  this  part  of  the  ocean.  Other  vessels  are  fond 
enough  of  remaining  on  the  surface.  I  fancy 
we  shall  have  the  depths  to  ourselves,  unless  we 
meet  a  Government  submarine,  and  they  are  hard- 
ly able  to  go  as  deep  as  we  can.  No,  I  guess  we 


ON  THE  OCEAN  BED  ioi 

won't  ran  into  anything  and  I  can  put  this  glass 
away." 

"Unless  we  run  into  Berg  and  his  crowd,"  sug- 
gested Tom  in  a  low  voice. 

"Ha!  ha!"  laughed  Captain  Weston,  for  he 
did  not  want  Mr.  Swift  to  worry  over  the  un- 
scrupulous agent.  "No,  I  don't  believe  we'll  meet 
them,  Tom.  I  guess  Berg  is  trying  to  work  out 
the  longitude  and  latitude  I  gave  him.  I  wish 
I  could  see  his  face  when  he  realizes  that  he's 
been  deceived  by  that  fake  map." 

"Well,  I  hope  he  doesn't  discover  it  too  soon 
and  trail  us,"  went  on  the  lad.  "But  they're  go- 
ing to  start  the  machinery  now.  I  suppose  you 
and  I  had  better  take  charge  of  the  steering  of 
the  craft.  Dad  will  want  to  be  in  the  engine- 
room." 

"All  right,"  replied  the  captain,  and  he  moved 
forward  with  the  lad  to  a  small  compartment, 
shut  off  from  the  living-room,  that  served  as  a 
pilot  house  when  the  conning  tower  was  not  used. 
The  same  levers,  wheels  and  valves  were  there 
as  up  above,  and  the  submarine  could  be  man- 
aged as  well  from  there  as  from  the  other  place. 

"Is  everything  all  right?"  asked  Mr.  Swift  as 
he  went  into  the  engine-room,  where  Garret  Jack- 
son and  Mr.  Sharp  were  busy  with  oil  cans. 


102  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

"Everything,"  replied  the  balloonist.  "Are  you 
going  to  start  now  ?" 

"Yes,   we're  deep  enough   for  a  speed  trial. 
We'll  go  out  to  sea,   however,   and  try   for  a 
lower  depth  record,  as  soon  as  there's  enough, 
water.     Start  the  engine." 

A  moment  later  the  powerful  electric  currents 
were  flowing  into  the  forward  and  aft  plates,  and 
the  Advance  began  to  gather  way,  forging 
through  the  water. 

"Straight  ahead,  out  to  sea,  Tom,"  called  his 
father  to  him. 

"Aye,  aye,  sir,"  responded  the  youth. 

"Ha !  Quite  seaman-like,  if  you  don't  mind  a 
reference  to  it,"  commented  Captain  Weston  with 
a  smile.  "Mind  your  helm,  boy,  for  you  don'f 
want  to  poke  her  nose  into  a  mud  bank,  or  run 
up  on  a  shoal." 

"Suppose  you  steer?"  suggested  the  lad.  "I'd 
rather  take  lessons  for  a  while." 

"All  right  Perhaps  it  will  be  safer.  I  know 
these  waters  from  the  top,  though  I  can't  say 
as  much  for  the  bottom.  However,  I  know  where 
the  shoals  are." 

The  powerful  searchlight  was  turned,  so  as  to 
send  its  beams  along  the  path  which  the  sub- 
marine was  to  follow,  and  then,  as  ske  gathered 


ON  THE  OCEAN  BED  103 

speed,  she  shot  ahead,  gliding  through  the  waters 
like  a  fish. 

Mr.  Damon  divided  his  time  between  the  for- 
ward pilot-room,  the  living-apartment,  and  the 
place  where  Mr.  Swift,  Garret  Jackson  and  Mr. 
Sharp  were  working  over  the  engines.  Every  few 
minutes  he  would  bless  some  part  of  himself,  his 
clothing,  or  the  ship.  Finally  the  old  man  settled 
-down  to  look  through  the  plate-glass  windows  in 
the  main  apartment. 

On  and  on  went  the  submarine.  She  behaved 
perfectly,  and  was  under  excellent  control.  Some- 
times Tom,  at  the  request  of  his  father,  would 
send  her  toward  the  surface  by  means  of  the  de- 
flecting rudder.  Then  she  would  dive  to  the 
bottom  again.  Once,  as  a  test,  she  was  sent 
obliquely  to  the  surface,  her  tower  just  emerging, 
and  then  she  darted  downward  again,  like  a  por- 
poise that  had  come  up  to  roll  over,  and  suddenly 
concluded  to  seek  the  depths.  In  fact,  had  any 
one  seen  the  maneuver  they  would  have  imagined 
the  craft  was  a  big  fish  disporting  itself. 

Captain  Weston  remained  at  Tom's  side,  giving 
him  instructions,  and  watching  the  compass  in 
order  to  direct  the  steering  so  as  to  avoid  colli- 
sions. For  an  hour  or  more  the  craft  was  sent 
almost  straight  ahead  at  medium  speed  Then 


104  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

Mr.  Swift,  joining  his  son  and  the  captain,  re* 
marked : 

"How  about  depth  of  water  here,  Captain 
Weston?" 

"You've  got  more  than  a  mile." 

"Good!  Then  Fm  going  down  to  the  bottom 
of  the  sea !  Tom,  fill  the  tanks  still  more." 

"Aye,  aye,  sir,"  answered  the  lad  gaily.  "Now 
for  a  new  experience !" 

"And  use  the  deflecting  rudder,  also,"  advised 
his  father.  "That  will  hasten  matters." 

Five  minutes  later  there  was  a  slight  jar 
noticeable. 

"Bless  my  soul!  What's  that?"  cried  Mr. 
Damon.  "Have  we  hit  something?" 

"Yes,"  answered  Tom  with  a  smile. 

"What,  for  gracious  sake?" 

"The  bottom  of  the  sea.  We're  on  the  bed  <*£ 
the  ocean." 


CHAPTER  XII 

FOR  A  BREATH  OF  AIR 

THEY  could  hardly  realize  it,  yet  the  depth-gage 
told  the  story.  It  registered  a  distance  below  the 
surface  of  the  ocean  of  five  thousand  seven  hun- 
dred feet — a  little  over  a  mile.  The  Advance 
had  actually  come  to  rest  on  the  bottom  of  the 
Atlantic. 

"Hurrah !"  cried  Tom.  "Let's  get  on  the  div- 
ing suits,  dad,  and  walk  about  on  land  under 
water  for  a  change." 

"No,"  said  Mr.  Swift  soberly.  "We  will  hard- 
ly have  time  for  that  now.  Besides,  the  suits  are 
not  yet  fitted  with  the  automatic  air-tanks,  and 
we  can't  use  them.  There  are  still  some  things 
to  do  before  we  start  on  our  treasure  cruise.  But 
I  want  to  see  how  the  plates  are  standing  this 
pressure." 

The  Advance  was  made  with  a  triple  hull,  the 
spaces  between  the  layers  of  plates  being  filled 
with  a  secret  material,  capable  of  withstanding 
105 


106  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

enormous  pressure,  as  were  also  the  plates  them- 
selves. Mr.  Swift,  aided  by  Mr.  Jackson  and 
Captain  Weston,  made  a  thorough  examination, 
and  found  that  not  a  drop  of  water  had  leaked 
in,  nor  was  there  the  least  sign  that  any  of  the, 
plates  had  given  way  under  the  terrific  strain. 

"She's  as  tight  as  a  drum,  if  you  will  allow 
me  to  make  that  comparison,"  remarked  Captain 
Weston  modestly.  "I  couldn't  ask  for  a  dryer 
ship." 

"Well,  let's  take  a  look  around  by  means  of 
the  searchlight  and  the  observation  windows,  and 
then  we'll  go  back,"  suggested  Mr.  Swift.  "It 
will  take  about  two  days  to  get  the  stores  and 
provisions  aboard  and  rig  up  the  diving  suits; 
then  we  will  start  for  the  sunken  treasure." 

There  were  several  powerful  searchlights  on 
the  Advance,  so  arranged  that  the  bow,  stern  or 
either  side  could  be  illuminated  independently. 
There  were  also  observation  windows  near  each 
light 

In  turn  the  powerful  rays  were  cast  first  at  the 
bow  and  then  aft.  In  the  gleams  could  be  seen 
the  sandy  bed  of  the  ocean,  covered  with  shells 
of  various  kinds.  Great  crabs  walked  around  on 
their  long,  jointed  legs,  and  Tom  saw  some  lob- 
sters that  would  have  brought  joy  to  the  heart 
of  a  fisherman. 


FOR  A  BREATH  OF  AIR  107 

"Look  at  the  big  fish !"  cried  Mr.  Damon  sud« 
denly,  and  he  pointed  to  some  dark,  shadowy 
forms  that  swam  up  to  the  glass  windows,  evi- 
dently puzzled  by  the  light. 

"Porpoises,"  declared  Captain  Weston  briefly. 
*A  whole  school  of  them." 

The  fish  seemed  suddenly  to  multiply,  and  soon 
those  in  the  submarine  felt  curious  tremors  run- 
ning through  the  whole  craft. 

"The  fish  are  rubbing  up  against  it,"  cried  Tom. 
'They  must  think  we  came  dows  here  to  allow 
them  to  scratch  their  backs  on  the  steel  plates." 

For  some  time  they  remained  on  the  bottom, 
watching  the  wonderful  sight  of  the  fishes  that 
Swam  all  about  them, 

"Well,  I  think  we  may  as  well  rise,"  announced 
Mr.  Swift,  after  they  had  been  on  the  bottom 
about  an  hour,  moving  here  and  there.  "We 
didn't  bring  any  provisions,  and  I'm  getting  hun- 
gry, though  I  don't  know  how  the  others  of  you 
feel  about  it." 

"Bless  my  dinner-plate,  I  could  eat,  too !"  cried 
Mr.  Damon.  "Go  up,  by  all  means.  We'll  get 
enough  of  under-water  travel  once  we  start  for 
the  treasure." 

"Send  her  up,  Tom,"  called  his  father.  "I 
want  to  make  a  few  notes  on  some  needed  changes 
and  improvements." 


108  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

Tom  entered  the  lower  pilot  house,  and  turned 
the  valve  that  opened  the  tanks.  He  also  pulled 
the  lever  that  started  the  pumps,  so  that  the  water 
ballast  would  be  more  quickly  emptied,  as  that 
would  render  the  submarine  buoyant,  and  she 
would  quickly  shoot  to  the  surface.  To  the  sur- 
prise of  the  lad,  however,  there  followed  no  out- 
rushing  of  the  water.  The  Advance  remained 
stationary  on  the  ocean  bed.  Mr.  Swift  looked 
up  from  his  notes. 

"Didn't  you  hear  me  ask  you  to  send  her  up, 
Tom?"  he  inquired  mildly. 

"I  did,  dad,  but  something  seems  to  be  the 
matter,"  was  the  reply. 

"Matter?  What  do  you  mean?"  and  the  aged 
inventor  hastened  to  where  his  son  and  Captain 
Weston  were  at  the  wheels,  valves  and  levers. 

"Why,  the  tanks  won't  empty,  and  the  pumps 
don't  seem  to  work." 

"Let  me  try,"  suggested  Mr.  Swift,  and  he 
pulled  the  various  handles.  There  was  no  cor< 
responding  action  of  the  machinery. 

"That's  odd,"  he  remarked  in  a  curious  voice, 
"Perhaps  something  has  gone  wrong  with  the 
connections.  Go  look  in  the  engine-room,  and 
ask  Mr.  Sharp  if  everything  is  all  right  there." 

Tom  made  a  quick  trip,  returning  to  report 


FOR  A  BREATH  OF  AIR 


109 


that  the  dynamos,  motors  and  gas  engine  were 
running  perfectly. 

"Try  to  work  the  tank  levers  and  pumps  from 
the  conning  tower,"  suggested  Captain  Weston. 
"Sometimes  I've  known  the  steam  steering  gear 
to  play  tricks  like  that." 

Tom  hurried  up  the  circular  stairway  into  the 
tower.  He  pulled  the  levers  and  shifted  the  valves 
and  wheels  there.  But  there  was  no  emptying 
of  the  water  tanks.  The  weight  and  pressure  of 
water  in  them  still  held  the  submarine  on  the 
bottom  of  the  sea,  more  than  a  mile  from  the  sur- 
face. The  pumps  in  the  engine-room  were  work- 
ing at  top  speed,  but  there  was  evidently  some- 
thing wrong  in  the  connections.  Mr.  Swift 
quickly  came  to  this  conclusion. 

"We  must  repair  it  at  once,"  he  said.  "Tom, 
come  to  the  engine-room.  You  and  I,  with  Mr. 
Jackson  and  Mr.  Sharp,  will  soon  have  it  in  shape 
again." 

"Is  there  any  danger  ?"  asked  Mr.  Damon  in  a 
perturbed  voice.  "Bless  my  soul,  it's  unlucky  to 
have  an  accident  on  our  trial  trip." 

"Oh,  we  must  expect  accidents,"  declared  Mr. 
Swift  with  a  smile.  "This  is  nothing." 

But  it  proved  to  be  more  difficult  than  he  had 
imagined  to  re-establish  the  connection  between 
the  pumps  and  the  tanks.  The  valves,  too,  had 


1 10  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

clogged  or  jammed,  and  as  the  pressure  outside 
the  ship  was  so  great,  the  water  would  not  run 
out  of  itself.  It  must  be  forced. 

For  an  hour  or  more  the  inventor,  his  son  and 
the  others,  worked  away.  They  could  accom- 
plish nothing.  Tom  looked  anxiously  at  his 
parent  when  the  latter  paused  in  his  efforts. 

"Don't  worry,"  advised  the  aged  inventor.  "It's 
got  to  come  right  sooner  or  Jater." 

Just  then  Mr.  Damon,  who  had  been  wander- 
ing about  the  ship,  entered  the  engine-room. 

"Do  you  know,"  he  said,  "you  ought  to  open 
a  window,  or  something." 

"Why,  what's  the  matter?"  asked  Tom  quickly, 
looking  to  see  if  the  odd  man  was  joking. 

"Well,  of  course  I  don't  exactly  mean  a  win- 
dow," explained  Mr.  Damon,  "but  we  need  fresk 
air." 

"Fresh  air !"  There  was  a  startled  note  in  Mr. 
Swift's  voice  as  he  repeated  the  words. 

"Yes,  I  can  hardly  breathe  in  the  living-room, 
and  it's  not  much  better  here." 

"Why,  there  ought  to  be  plenty  of  fresh  air," 
went  on  the  inventor.  "It  is  renewed  automatic- 
ally." 

Tom  jumped  up  and  looked  at  an  indicator. 
He  uttered  a  startled  cry. 

"The  air  hasn't  been  changed  in  the  last  hour  !H 


FOR  A  BREATH  OP  AIR 

he  exclaimed.  "It  is  bad.  There's  not  enough 
oxygen  in  it.  I  notice  it,  now  that  I've  stopped 
working.  The  gage  indicates  it,  too.  The  auto- 
matic air-changer  must  have  stopped  working. 
I'll  fix  it." 

He  hurried  to  the  machine  which  was  de- 
pended on  to  supply  fresh  air  to  the  submarine. 

"Why,  the  air  tanks  are  empty !"  the  young  in- 
ventor cried.  "We  haven't  anv  more  air  except 
what  is  in  the  ship  now!" 

"And  we're  rapidly  breathing  that  up,"  added 
Captain  Weston  solemnly. 

"Can't  you  make  more?"  cried  Mr.  Damon. 
"I  thought  you  said  you  could  make  oxygea 
aboard  the  ship." 

"We  can,"  answered  Mr.  Swift,  "but  I  did  not 
bring  along  a  supply  of  the  necessary  chemicals. 
I  did  not  think  we  would  be  submerged  long 
enough  for  that.  But  there  should  have  been 
enough  in  the  reserve  tank  to  last  several  days. 
How  about  it,  Tom?" 

"It's  all  leaked  out,  or  else  it  wasn't  filled," 
was  the  despairing  answer.  "All  the  air  we 
have  is  what's  in  the  ship,  and  we  can't  make 
more." 

[The  treasure-seekers  looked  at  each  other.  It 
an  awful  situation. 


112  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT      s 

'Then  the  only  thing  to  do  is  to  fix  the  ma- 
chinery and  rise  to  the  surface/'  said  Mr.  Sharp 
simply.  "We  can  have  all  the  air  we  want,  then." 

"Yes,  but  the  machinery  doesn't  seem  possible 
of  being  fixed,"  spoke  Tom  in  a  low  voice. 

"We  must  do  it!"  cried  his  father. 

They  set  to  work  again  with  fierce  energy, 
laboring  for  their  very  lives.  They  all  knew 
that  they  could  not  long  remain  in  the  ship  with- 
out oxygen.  Nor  could  they  desert  it  to  go  to 
the  surface,  for  the  moment  they  left  the  protec- 
tion of  the  thick  steel  sides  the  terrible  pressure 
of  the  water  would  kill  them.  Nor  were  the  diving 
suits  available.  They  must  stay  in  the  craft  and 
die  a  miserable  death — unless  the  machinery  could 
be  repaired  and  the  Advance  sent  to  the  surface. 
The  emergency  expanding  lifting  tank  was  not 
yet  in  working  order. 

More  frantically  they  toiled,  trying  every  de- 
vice that  was  suggested  to  the  mechanical  minds 
of  Tom,  his  father,  Mr.  Sharp  or  Mr.  Jackson, 
to  make  the  pumps  work.  But  something  was 
wrong.  More  and  more  foul  grew  the  air.  They 
were  fairly  gasping  now.  It  was  difficult 
to  breathe,  to  say  nothing  of  working,  in  that 
atmosphere.  The  thought  of  their  terrible  posi- 
tion was  in  the  minds  of  all. 

"Oh,  for  one  breath  of  fresh  air!"  cried  Mr. 


FOR  A  BREATH  OF  AIR  113 

Damon,  who  seemed  to  suffer  more  than  any  of 
the  others.  Grim  death  was  hovering  around 
them,  imprisoned  as  they  were  on  the  ocean's  bed, 
over  a  mile  from  the  surface. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

OFF    FOR    THE    TREASURE 

SUDDENLY  Tom,  after  a  moment's  pause,  seized 
a  wrench  and  began  loosening  some  nuts. 

"What  are  you  doing?"  asked  his  father  faint- 
ly, for  he  was  being  weakened  by  the  vitiated 
atmosphere. 

"I'm  going  to  take  this  valve  apart,"  repri'ed 
his  son.  "We  haven't  looked  there  for  the  trouble. 
Maybe  it's  out  of  order." 

He  attacked  the  valve  with  energy,  but  his 
hands  soon  lagged.  The  lack  of  oxygen  was  tell- 
ing on  him.  He  could  no  longer  work  quickly. 

"I'll  help,"  murmured  Mr.  Sharp  thickly.  He 
took  a  wrench,  but  no  sooner  had  he  loosened  one 
nut  than  he  toppled  over.  "I'm  all  in,"  he  mur- 
mured feebly. 

"Is  he  dead?"  cried  Mr.  Damon,  himself 
gasping. 

"No,  only  fainted.  But  he  soon  will  be  dead, 
and  so  will  all  of  us,  if  we  don't  get  fresh  air," 

114 


OFF  FOR  THE  TREASURE  115 

remarked  Captain  Weston.  "Lie  down  on  the 
floor,  every  one.  There  is  a  little  fairly  good  air 
there.  It's  heavier  than  the  air  we've  breathed, 
and  we  can  exist  on  it  for  a  little  longer.  Poor 
Sharp  was  so  used  to  breathing  the  rarified  air 
of  high  altitudes  that  he  can't  stand  this  heavy 
atmosphere." 

Mr.  Damon  was  gasping  worse  than  ever,  and 
so  was  Mr.  Swift.  The  balloonist  lay  an  inert 
heap  on  the  floor,  with  Captain  Weston  trying 
to  force  a  few  drops  of  stimulant  down  his  throat 

With  a  fierce  determination  in  his  heart,  but 
with  fingers  that  almost  refused  to  do  his  bidding, 
Tom  once  more  sought  to  open  the  big  valve. 
He  felt  sure  the  trouble  was  located  there,  as  they 
had  tried  to  locate  it  in  every  other  place  without 
avail. 

"I'll  help,"  said  Mr.  Jackson  in  a  whisper.  He, 
too,  was  hardly  able  to  move. 

More  and  more  devoid  of  oxygen  grew  the 
air.  It  gave  Tom  a  sense  as  if  his  head  was 
filled,  and  ready  to  burst  with  every  breath  he 
drew.  Still  he  struggled  to  loosen  the  nuts. 
There  were  but  four  more  now,  and  he  took  off 
three  while  Mr.  Jackson  removed  one.  The  young 
inventor  lifted  off  the  valve  cover,  though  it  felt 
like  a  ton  weight  to  him.  He  gave  a  glance 
inside. 


Il6  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

"Here's  the  trouble!"  he  murmured.  "The 
valve's  clogged.  No  wonder  it  wouldn't  work. 
The  pumps  couldn't  force  the  water  out." 

It  was  the  work  of  only  a  minute  to  adjust  the 
valve.  Then  Tom  and  the  engineer  managed  to 
get  the  cover  back  on. 

How  they  inserted  the  bolts  and  screwed  the 
nuts  in  place  they  never  could  remember  clearly 
afterward,  but  they  managed  it  somehow,  with 
shaking,  trembling  hands  and  eyes  that  grew 
more  and  more  dim. 

"Now  start  the  pumps!"  cried  Tom  faintly. 
"The  tanks  will  be  emptied,  and  we  can  get  to 
the  surface." 

Mr.  Sharp  was  still  unconscious,  nor  was  Mr. 
Swift  able  to  help.  He  lay  with  his  eyes  closed. 
Garret  Jackson,  however,  managed  to  crawl  to  the 
engine-room,  and  soon  the  clank  of  machinery 
told  Tom  that  the  pumps  were  in  motion.  The 
lad  staggered  to  the  pilot  house  and  threw  the 
levers  over.  An  instant  later  there  was  the  hiss- 
ing of  water  as  it  rushed  from  the  ballast  tanks. 
The  submarine  shivered,  as  though  disliking  to 
leave  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  and  then  slowly  rose. 
As  the  pumps  worked  more  rapidly,  and  the 
sea  was  sent  from  the  tank  in  great  volumes,  the 
boat  fairly  shot  to  the  surface.  Tom  was  ready 


OFF  FOR  THE  TREASURE  117 

to  open  the  conning  tower  and  let  in  fresh  air 
as  soon  as  the  top  was  above  the  surface. 

With  a  bound  the  Advance  reached  the  top* 
Tom  frantically  worked  the  worm  gear  that 
opened  the  tower.  In  rushed  the  fresh,  life-giving 
air,  and  the  treasure-hunters  filled  their  lungs 
with  it. 

And  it  was  only  just  in  time,  for  Mr.  Sharp 
was  almost  gone.  He  quickly  revived,  as  did  the 
others,  when  they  could  breathe  as  much  as  they 
wished  of  the  glorious  oxygen. 

"That  was  a  close  call,"  commented  Mr.  Swift, 
"We'll  not  go  below  again  until  I  have  provided 
for  all  emergencies.  I  should  have  seen  to  the 
air  tanks  and  the  expanding  one  before  going 
below.  Well  sail  home  on  the  surface  now." 

The  submarine  was  put  about  and  headed  for 
her  dock.  On  the  way  she  passed  a  small  steamer, 
and  the  passengers  looked  down  in  wonder  at  the 
strange  craft. 

When  the  Advance  reached  the  secluded  creek 
where  she  had  been  launched,  her  passengers  had 
fully  recovered  from  their  terrible  experience, 
though  the  nerves  of  Mr.  Swift  and  Mr.  Damon 
Were  not  at  ease  for  some  days  thereafter. 

"I  should  never  have  made  a  submerged  test 
without  making  sure  that  we  had  a  reserve  supply 
of  air,"  remarked  the  aged  inventor.  "I  will  not 


jl8  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

be  caught  that  way  again.  But  I  can't  under- 
stand how  the  pump  valve  got  out  of  order/' 

"Maybe  some  one  tampered  with  it,"  suggested 
Mr.  Damon.  "Could  Andy  Foger,  any  of  the 
Happy  Harry  gang,  or  the  rival  gold-seekers  have 
done  it?" 

"I  hardly  think  so,"  answered  Tom.  "The 
place  has  been  too  carefully  guarded  since  Berg 
and  Andy  once  sneaked  in.  I  think  it  was  just 
an  accident,  but  I  have  thought  of  a  plan  whereby 
such  accidents  can  be  avoided  in  the  future.  It 
needs  a  simple  device." 

"Better  patent  it,"  suggested  Mr.  Sharp  with  a 
smile. 

"Maybe  I  will,"  replied  the  young  inventor. 
"But  not  now.  We  haven't  time,  if  we  intend 
to  get  fitted  out  for  our  trip." 

"No;  I  should  say  the  sooner  we  started  the 
better,"  remarked  Captain  Weston.  "That  is,  if 
you  don't  mind  me  speaking  about  it,"  he  added 
gently,  and  the  others  smiled,  for  his  diffident 
comments  were  only  a  matter  of  habit. 

The  first  act  of  the  adventurers,  after  tying 
the  submarine  at  the  dock,  was  to  proceed  with 
the  loading  of  the  food  and  supplies.  Tom  and 
Mr.  Damon  looked  to  this,  while  Mr.  Swift  and 
Mr.  Sharp  made  some  necessary  changes  to  the 
machinery.  The  next  day  the  young  inventor  at- 


OFF  FOR  THE  TREASURE  119 

tached  his  device  to  the  pump  valve,  and  the 
loading  of  the  craft  was  continued. 

All  was  in  readiness  for  the  gold-seeking  ex- 
pedition a  week  later.  Captain  Weston  had  care- 
fully charted  the  route  they  were  to  follow,  and 
it  was  decided  to  move  along  on  the  surface  for 
the  first  day,  so  as  to  get  well  out  to  sea  before 
submerging  the  craft.  Then  it  would  sink  below 
the  surface,  and  run  along  under  the  water  until 
the  wreck  was  reached,  rising  at  times,  as  needed, 
to  renew  the  air  supply. 

With  sufficient  stores  and  provisions  aboard  to 
last  several  months,  if  necessary,  though  they  did 
not  expect  to  be  gone  more  than  sixty  days  at 
most,  the  adventurers  arose  early  one  morning 
and  went  down  to  the  dock.  Mr.  Jackson  was 
not  to  accompany  them.  He  did  not  care  about  a 
submarine  trip,  he  said,  and  Mr.  Swift  desired 
him  to  remain  at  the  seaside  cottage  and  guard 
the  shops,  which  contained  much  valuable  ma* 
chinery.  The  airship  was  also  left  there. 

"Well,  are  we  all  ready?"  asked  Mr.  Swift  of 
the  little  party  of  gold-seekers,  as  they  were  about 
to  enter  the  conning  tower  hatchway  of  the  sub- 
marine. 

"All  ready,  dad,"  responded  his  son. 

"Then  let's  get  aboard,"  proposed  Captain 
Weston.  "But  first  let  me  take  an  observation." 


120  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

He  swept  the  horizon  with  his  telescope,  and 
Tom  noticed  that  the  sailor  kept  it  fixed  on  one 
particular  spot  for  some  time. 

"Did  you  see  anything?"  asked  the  lad. 

"Well,  there  is  a  boat  lying  off  there,"  was  thfr 
answer.  "And  some  one  is  observing  us  through 
a  glass.  But  I  don't  believe  it  matters.  Probably 
they're  only  trying  to  see  what  sort  of  an  odd 
fish  we  are." 

"All  aboard,  then,"  ordered  Mr.  Swift,  and 
they  went  into  the  submarine.  Tom  and  his 
father,  with  Captain  Weston,  remained  in  the 
conning  tower.  The  signal  was  given,  the  elec- 
tricity flowed  into  the  forward  and  aft  plates,  and 
the  Advance  shot  ahead  on  the  surface. 

The  sailor  raised  his  telescope  once  more  and 
peered  through  a  window  in  the  tower.  He  ut- 
tered an  exclamation. 

"What's  the  matter?"  asked  Tom. 

"That  other  ship — a  small  steamer — is  weigh- 
ing anchor  and  seems  to  be  heading  this  way," 
was  the  reply. 

"Maybe  it's  some  one  hired  by  Berg  to  follow 
us  and  trace  our  movements,"  suggested  Tom. 

"If  it  is  we'll  fool  them,"  added  his  father. 
"Just  keep  an  eye  on  them,  captain,  and  I  think 
we  can  show  them  a  trick  or  two  in  a  fev* 
minutes." 


OFF  FOR  THE  TREASURE  121 

Faster  shot  the  Advance  through  the  water. 
She  had  started  on  her  way  to  get  the  gold  from 
the  sunken  wreck,  but  already  enemies  were  on 
the  trail  of  the  adventurers,  for  the  ship  the 
sailor  had  noticed  was  steaming  after  them. 


CHAPTER  XIV) 

IN  THE  DIVING  SUITS 

THERE  was  no  doubt  that  the  steamer  was  com* 
ing  after  the  submarine.  Several  observations 
Captain  Weston  made  confirmed  this,  and  he  re- 
ported the  fact  to  Mr.  Swift. 

"Well,  we'll  change  our  plans,  then,"  said  the 
inventor.  "Instead  of  sailing  on  the  surface  we'll 
go  below.  But  first  let  them  get  near  so  they 
may  have  the  benefit  of  seeing  what  we  do.  Tom, 
go  below,  please,  and  tell  Mr.  Sharp  to  get  every- 
thing in  readiness  for  a  quick  descent.  J'll  slow 
up  a  bit  now,  and  let  them  get  nearer  to  us." 

The  speed  of  the  submarine  was  reduced,  and 
ki  a  short  time  the  strange  steamer  had  over^ 
hauled  her,  coming  to  within  hailing  distance. 

Mr.  Swift  signaled  for  the  machinery  to  stop, 
and  the  submarine  came  to  a  halt  on  the  surface, 
bobbing  about  like  a  half-submerged  bottle.  The 
inventor  opened  a  bull's-eye  in  the  tower,  and 
called  to  a  man  on  the  bridge  of  the  steamer : 

122 


rN   THE  DIVING  SUITS 


123 


"What  are  you  following-  us  for  ?" 

"Following  you?"  repeated  the  man,  for  the 
strange  vessel  had  also  come  to  a  stop.  "We're 
not  following  you." 

"It  looks  like  it,"  replied  Mr.  Swift.  You'd 
better  give  it  up." 

"I  guess  the  waters  are  free,"  was  the  quick 
retort.  "We'll  follow  you  if  we  like." 

"Will  you  ?  Then  come  on !"  cried  the  inventor 
as  he  quickly  closed  the  heavy  glass  window  and 
pulled  a  lever.  An  instant  later  the  submarine 
began  to  sink,  and  Mr.  Swift  could  not  help  laugh- 
ing as,  just  before  the  tower  went  under  water, 
he  had  a  glimpse  of  the  astonished  face  of  the 
man  on  the  bridge.  The  latter  had  evidently  not 
expected  such  a  move  as  that. 

Lower  and  lower  in  the  water  went  the  craft, 
until  it  was  about  two  hundred  feet  below  the 
surface.  Then  Mr.  Swift  left  the  conning  tower, 
descended  to  the  main  part  of  the  ship,  and  asked 
Tom  and  Captain  Weston  to  take  charge  of  the 
pilot  house. 

"Send  her  ahead,  Tom,"  his  father  said.  "That 
fellow  up  above  is  rubbing  his  eyes  yet,  wondering 
where  we  are,  I  suppose." 

Forward  shot  the  Advance  under  witer,  the 
powerful  electrical  plates  pulling  and  pushing  her 
on  the  way  to  secure  the  sunken  gold. 


124  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

All  that  morning  a  fairly  moderate  rate  of 
speed  was  maintained,  as  it  was  thought  best  not 
to  run  the  new  machinery  too  fast. 

Dinner  was  eaten  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
below  the  surface,  but  no  one  inside  the  submarine 
would  ever  have  known  it.  Electric  lights  made 
the  place  as  brilliant  as  could  be  desired,  and 
the  food,  which  Tom  and  Mr.  Damon  prepared, 
was  equal  to  any  that  could  have  been  served 
on  land.  After  the  meal  they  opened  the  shut' 
ters  over  the  windows  in  the  sides  of  the  craft, 
and  looked  at  the  myriads  of  fishes  swimming 
past,  as  the  creatures  were  disclosed  in  the  glare 
of  the  searchlight. 

That  night  they  were  several  hundred  miles 
on  their  journey,  for  the  craft  was  speedy,  and 
leaving  Tom  and  Captain  Weston  to  take  the  first 
watch,  the  others  went  to  bed. 

"Bless  my  soul,  but  it  does  seem  odd,  though, 
to  go  to  bed  under  water,  like  a  fish,"  remarked 
Mr.  Damon.  "If  my  wife  knew  this  she  would 
worry  to  death.  She  thinks  I'm  off  automobiling. 
But  this  isn't  half  as  dangerous  as  riding  in  a 
car  that's  always  getting  out  of  order.  A  sub* 
marine  for  mine,  every  time." 

"Wait  until  we  get  to  the  end  of  this  trip/' 
advised  Tom.  "I  guess  you'll  find  almost  as  many 
things  can  happen  in  a  submarine  as  can  in  an 


IN  THE  DIVING  SUITS  125 

auto,"  and  future  events  were  to  prove  the  young 
inventor  to  be  right. 

Everything  worked  well  that  night,  and  the 
ship  made  good  progress.  They  rose  to  the  sur- 
face the  next  morning  to  make  sure  of  their 
position,  and  to  get  fresh  air,  though  they  did 
not  really  need  the  latter,  as  the  reserve  supply 
had  not  been  drawn  on,  and  was  sufficient  for 
several  days,  now  that  the  oxygen  machine  had 
been  put  in  running  order. 

On  the  second  day  the  ship  was  sent  to  the 
bottom  and  halted  there,  as  Mr.  Swift  wished 
to  try  the  new  diving  suits.  These  were  made  of 
a  new,  light,  but  very  strong  metal  to  withstand 
the  pressure  of  a  great  depth. 

Tom,  Mr.  Sharp  and  Captain  Weston  donned 
the  suits,  the  others  agreeing  to  wait  until  they 
saw  how  the  first  trial  resulted.  Then,  too,  it 
was  necessary  for  some  one  acquainted  with  the 
machinery  to  remain  in  the  ship  to  operate  the 
door  and  water  chamber  through  which  the  divers 
had  to  pass  to  get  out. 

The  usual  plan,  with  some  changes,  was  fol- 
lowed in  letting  the  three  out  of  the  boat,  and 
on  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea.  They  entered  a 
chamber  in  the  side  of  the  submarine,  water  was 
gradually  admitted  until  it  equaled  in  pressure 


126  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

that  outside,  then  an  outer  door  was  opened  by 
means  of  levers,  and  they  could  step  out. 

It  was  a  curious  sensation  to  Tom  and  the 
*  others  to  feel  that  they  were  actually  walking 
•along  the  bed  of  the  ocean.  All  around  them  was 
the  water,  and  as  they  turned  on  the  small  elec- 
teic  lights  in  their  helmets,  which  lights  were  fed 
by  storage  batteries  fastened  to  the  diving  suits, 
they  saw  the  fish,  big  and  little,  swarm  up  to 
them,  doubtless  astonished  at  the  odd  creatures 
which  had  entered  their  domain.  On  the  sand  of 
the  bottom,  and  in  and  out  among  the  shells  and 
rocks,  crawled  great  spider  crabs,  big  eels  and 
other  odd  creatures  seldom  seen  on  the  surface 
of  the  water.  The  three  divers  found  no  difficulty 
in  breathing,  as  there  were  air  tanks  fastened  to 
their  shoulders,  and  a  constant  supply  of  oxygen 
was  fed  through  pipes  into  the  helmets.  The  pres- 
sure of  water  did  not  bother  them,  and  after 
the  first  sensation  Tom  began  to  enjoy  the  novelty 
of  it.  At  first  the  inability  to  speak  to  his  com- 
panions seemed  odd,  but  he  soon  got  so  he  could 
<nake  signs  and  motions,  and  be  understood. 

They  walked  about  for  some  time,  and  once 
the  lad  came  upon  a  part  of  a  wrecked  vessel 
buried  deep  in  the  sand.  There  was  no  telling 
what  ship  it  was,  nor  how  long  it  had  been  there, 
and  after  silently  viewing  it.  thev  continued  on. 


IN  THE  DIVING  SUITS 

**It  was  great !"  were  the  first  words  Tom  ut- 
tered when  he  and  the  others  were  once  more 
inside  the  submarine  and  had  removed  the  suits. 
**If  we  can  only  walk  around  the  wreck  of  the 
Boldero  that  way,  we'll  have  all  the  gold  out  o.. 
her  in  no  time.  There  are  no  life-lines  nor  air- 
hose  to  bother  with  in  these  diving  suits." 

"They  certainly  are  a  success,"  conceded  Mr* 
Sharp. 

"Bless  my  topknot!"  cried  Mr.  Damon.  'Til 
try  it  next  time.  I've  always  wanted  to  be  a 
diver,  and  now  I  have  the  chance." 

The  trip  was  resumed  after  the  diving  chamber 
had  been  closed,  and  on  the  third  day  Captain 
Weston  announced,  after  a  look  at  his  chart, 
that  they  were  nearing  the  Bahama  Islands. 

"We'll  have  to  be  careful  not  to  run  into  any 
of  the  small  keys,"  he  said,  that  being  the  name 
for  the  many  little  points  of  land,  hardly  large 
enough  to  be  dignified  by  the  name  of  island. 
"We  must  keep  a  constant  lookout." 

Fortune  favored  them,  though  once,  when  Tom 
was  steering,  he  narrowly  evoided  ramming  a 
coral  reef  with  the  submarine.  The  searchlight 
showed  it  to  him  just  in  time,  and  he  sheered  off 
with  a  thumping  in  his  heart. 

The  course  was  changed  from  south  to  east, 
so  as  to  get  ready  to  swing  out  of  the  way  of  the 


128  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

big  shoulder  of  South  America  where  Brazil  takes 
up  so  much  room,  and  as  they  went  farther  and 
farther  toward  the  equator,  they  noticed  that  the 
waters  teemed  more  and  more  with  fish,  some 
beautiful,  some  ugly  and  fear-inspiring,  and  some 
such  monsters  that  it  made  one  shudder  to  look 
at  them,  even  through  the  thick  glass  of  the 
bull's-eye  windows. 


CHAPTER  XV 

AT   THE   TROPICAL   ISLAND 

IT  was  on  the  evening  of  the  fourth  day  late*' 
that  Captain  Weston,  who  was  steering  the  craft, 
suddenly  called  out: 

"Land  ho!" 

"Where  away  ?"  inquired  Tom  quickly,  for  he 
had  read  that  this  was  the  proper  response  to 
make. 

"Dead  ahead,"  answered  the  sailor  with  a  smile. 
"Shall  we  make  for  it,  if  I  may  be  allowed  the 
question  ?" 

"What  land  is  it  likely  to  be?"  Mr.  Swift 
Wanted  to  know. 

"Oh,  some  small  tropical  island,"  replied  the 
seafaring  man.  "It  isn't  down  on  the  charts. 
Probably  it's  too  small  to  note.  I  should  say  it 
was  a  coral  island,  but  we  may  be  able  to  find  a 
spring  of  fresh  water  there,  and  some  fruit." 

"Then  we'll  land  there,"  decided  the  inventor. 
129 


I30  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

"We  can  use  some  fresh  water,  though  our  dis- 
tilling and  ice  apparatus  does  very  well." 

They  made  the  island  just  at  dusk,  and  an- 
chored in  a  little  lagoon,  where  there  was  a  good 
depth  of  water. 

"Now  for  shore !"  cried  Tom,  as  the  submarine 
swung  around  on  the  chain.  "It  looks  like  a 
fine  place.  I  hope  there  are  cocoanuts  and 
oranges  here.  Shall  I  get  out  the  electric  launch, 
dad?" 

"Yes,  you  may,  and  we'll  all  go  ashore.  It 
will  do  us  good  to  stretch  our  legs  a  bit." 

Carried  in  a  sort  of  pocket  on  the  deck  of  the 
submarine  was  a  small  electric  boat,  capable  of 
holding  six.  It  could  be  slid  from  the  pocket,  or 
depression,  into  the  water  without  the  use  of 
davits,  and,  with  Mr.  Sharp  to  aid  him,  Tom  soon 
had  the  little  craft  afloat.  The  batteries  were 
already  charged,  and  just  as  the  sun  was  going 
down  the  gold-seekers  entered  the  launch  and 
Were  soon  on  shore. 

They  found  a  good  spring  of  water  close  at 
'hand,  and  Tom's  wish  regarding  the  cocoanuts 
was  realized,  though  there  were  no  oranges.  The 
lad  took  several  of  the  delicious  nuts,  and  break- 
ing them  open  poured  the  milk  into  a  collapsible 
cup  he  carried,  drinking  it  eagerly.  The  others 


AT  THE  TROPICAL  ISLAND  131 

followed  his  example,  and  pronounced  it  the  best 
beverage  they  had  tasted  in  a  long  time. 

The  island  was  a  typical  tropical  one,  not  very 
large,  and  it  did  not  appear  to  have  been  often 
visited  by  man.  There  were  no  animals  to  be 
seen,  but  myriads  of  birds  flew  here  and  there 
amid  the  trees,  the  trailing  vines  and  streamers 
of  moss. 

"Let's  spend  a  day  here  to-morrow  and  explore 
it,"  proposed  Tom,  and  his  father  nodded  an 
assent.  They  went  back  to  the  submarine  as 
night  was  beginning  to  gather,  and  in  the  cabin, 
after  supper,  talked  over  the  happenings  of  their 
trip  so  far. 

"Do  you  think  we'll  have  any  trouble  getting 
the  gold  out  of  the  wrecked  vessel?"  asked  Tom 
of  Captain  Weston,  after  a  pause. 

"Well,  it's  hard  to  say.  I  couldn't  learn  just 
how  the  wreck  lays,  whether  it's  on  a  sandy  or  a 
rocky  bottom.  If  the  latter,  it  won't  be  so  hard, 
but  if  the  sand  has  worked  in  and  partly  covered 
it,  we'll  have  some  difficulties,  if  I  may  be  per- 
mitted to  say  so.  However,  don't  borrow  trouble. 
We're  not  there  yet,  though  at  the  rate  we're  trav-f 
eling  it  won't  be  long  before  we  arrive." 

No  watch  was  set  thaf  night,  as  it  was  not 
considered  necessary.  Tom  was  the  first  to  arise 


132  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

in  the  morning,  and  he  went  out  on  the  deck  for 
a  breath  of  fresh  air  before  breakfast. 

He  looked  off  at  the  beautiful  little  island,  and 
as  his  eye  took  in  all  of  the  little  lagoon  where 
the  submarine  was  anchored  he  uttered  a  startled 
cry. 

And  well  he  might,  for,  not  a  hundred  yards 
away,  and  nearer  to  the  island  than  was  the 
^Advance,  floated  another  craft — another  craft, 
almost  similar  in  shape  and  size  to  the  one  built 
by  the  Swifts.  Tom  rubbed  his  eyes  to  make  sure 
he  was  not  seeing  double.  No,  there  could  be 
no  mistake  about  it.  There  was  another  sub- 
marine at  the  tropical  island. 

As  he  looked,  some  one  emerged  from  the 
conning  tower  of  the  second  craft.  The  figure 
seemed  strangely  familiar.  Tom  knew  in  a  mo- 
ment who  it  was — Addison  Berg.  The  agent 
saw  the  lad,  too,  and  taking  off  his  cap  and 
making  a  mocking  bow,  he  called  out: 

"Good  morning!    Have  you  got  the  gold  yet?" 

Tom  did  not  know  what  to  answer.  Seeing 
the  other  submarine,  at  an  island  where  he  had 
supposed  they  would  not  be  disturbed,  was  dis- 
concerting enough,  but  to  be  greeted  by  Berg  was 
altogether  too  much,  Tom  thought.  His  fears 
that  the  rival  boat  builders  would  follow  had  not 
been  without  foundation. 


AT  THE  TROPICAL  ISLAND  133 

"Rather  surprised  to  see  us,  aren't  you?"  went 
Dn  Mr.  Berg,  smiling. 

"Rather,"  admitted  Tom,  choking  over  the 
Word. 

"Thought  you'd  be,"  continued  Berg.  "We 
8idn't  expect  to  meet  you  so  soon,  but  we're  glad 
we  did.  I  don't  altogether  like  hunting  for  sunken 
treasure,  with  such  indefinite  directions  as  I  have." 

"You — are  going  to "  stammered  Tom, 

and  then  he  concluded  it  would  be  best  not  to 
say  anything.  But  his  talk  had  been  heard  in- 
side the  submarine.  His  father  came  to  the  foot 
of  the  conning  tower  stairway. 

"To  whom  are  you  speaking,  Tom  ?"  he  asked. 

"They're  here,  dad,"  was  the  youth's  answer. 

"Here?    Who  are  here?" 

uBerg  and  his  employers.  They've  followed 
us,  dad." 


CHAPTER  XVI 
"WE'LL  RACE  YOU  FOR  IT" 

MR.  SWIFT  hurried  up  on  deck.  He  was  ac- 
companied by  Captain  Weston.  At  the  sight  of 
Tom's  father,  Mr.  Berg,  who  had  been  joined  by 
two  other  men,  called  out : 

"You  see  we  also  concluded  to  give  up  the 
trial  for  the  Government  prize,  Mr.  Swift.  We 
decided  there  was  more  money  in  something  else. 
But  we  still  will  have  a  good  chance  to  try  the 
merits  of  our  respective  boats.  We  hurried  and 
got  ours  fitted  up  almost  as  soon  as  you  did  yours, 
and  I  think  we  have  the  better  craft." 

"I  don't  care  to  enter  into  any  competition  with 
you,"  said  Mr.  Swift  coldly. 

"Ah,  but  I'm  afraid  you'll  have  to,  whether 
you  want  to  or  not,"  was  the  insolent  reply. 

"What's  that?  Do  you  mean  to  force  this 
matter  upon  me?" 

"I'm  afraid  I'll  have  to — my  employers  and  I, 
that  is.  You  see,  we  managed  to  pick  up  your 

134 


"WE'LL  RACE  YOU  FOR  ITT 

trail  after  you  left  the  Jersey  coast,  having  an 
idea  where  you  were  bound,  and  we  don't  intend 
to  lose  you  now." 

"Do  you  mean  to  follow  us?"  asked  Captain 
Weston  softly. 

"Well,  you  can  put  it  that  way  if  you  like," 
answered  one  of  the  two  men  with  Mr.  Berg. 

"I  forbid  it!"  cried  Mr.  Swift  hotly.  "You 
have  no  right  to  sneak  after  us." 

"I  guess  the  ocean  is  free,"  continued  the  ras- 
cally agent. 

"Why  do  you  persist  in  keeping  after  us?" 
inquired  the  aged  inventor,  thinking  it  well  to 
ascertain,  if  possible,  just  how  much  the  men 
knew."  - 

"Because  we're  after  that  treasure  as  well  as 
you,"  was  the  bold  reply.  "You  have  no  ex- 
clusive right  to  it.  The  sunken  ship  is  awaiting1 
the  first  comer,  and  whoever  gets  there  first  can 
take  the  gold  from  the  wreck.  We  intend  to  be 
there  first,  but  we'll  be  fair  with  you." 

"Fair  ?    What  do  you  mean  ?"  demanded  Tom. 

"This :  We'll  race  you  for  it.  The  first  one 
to  arrive  will  have  the  right  to  search  the  wreck 
for  the  gold  bullion.  Is  that  fair  ?  Do  you  agree 
to  it?" 

"We  agree  to  nothing  with  you,"  interrupted 
Captain  Weston,  his  usual  diffident  manner  all 


136  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

gone.  "I  happen  to  be  in  partial  command  of  this 
craft,  and  I  warn  you  that  if  I  find  you  interfer- 
ing with  us  it  won't  be  healthy  for  you.  I'm 
not  fond  of  righting,  but  when  I  begin  I  don't 
like  to  stop,"  and  he  smiled  grimly.  "You'd  better 
not  follow  us." 

"We'll  do  as  we  please,"  shouted  the  third 
member  of  the  trio  on  the  deck  of  the  other  boat, 
which,  as  Tom  could  see,  was  named  the  Wonder. 
"We  intend  to  get  that  gold  if  we  can," 

"All  right.  I've  warned  you,"  went  on  the 
sailor,  and  then,  motioning  to  Tom  and  his  father 
to  follow,  he  went  below. 

"Well,  what's  to  be  done?"  asked  Mr.  Swift 
when  they  were  seated  in  the  living-room,  and 
had  informed  the  others  of  the  presence  of  the 
rival  submarine. 

"The  only  thing  I  see  to  do  is  to  sneak  away 
unobserved,  go  as  deep  as  possible,  and  make  all 
haste  for  the  wreck,"  advised  the  captain.  "They 
will  depend  on  us,  for  they  have  evidently  no 
chart  of  the  wreck,  though  of  course  the  general 
location  of  it  may  be  known  to  them  from  read- 
ing the  papers.  I  hoped  I  had  thrown  them  oft 
the  track  by  the  false  chart  I  dropped,  but  it 
»eems  they  were  too  smart  for  us." 

"Have  they  a  right  to  follow  us  ?"  asked  Tom. 

"Legally,  but  not  morally.    We  can't  prevent 


"WE'LL  RACE  YOU  FOR  IT!"  137 

them,  I'm  afraid.  The  only  thing  to  do  is  to 
get  there  ahead  of  them.  It  will  be  a  race  for 
the  sunken  treasure,  and  we  must  get  there  first." 

"What  do  you  propose  doing,  captain?"  asked 
Mr.  Damon.  "Bless  my  shirt-studs,  but  can't  we 
pull  their  ship  up  on  the  island  and  leave  it 
there?" 

"I'm  afraid  such  high-handed  proceedings 
would  hardly  answer,"  replied  Mr.  Swift.  "No, 
as  Captain  Weston  says,  we  must  get  there  ahead 
of  them.  What  do  you  think  will  be  the  best 
scheme,  captain?" 

"Well,  there's  no  need  for  us  to  forego  our 
plan  to  get  fresh  water.  Suppose  we  go  to  the 
island,  that  is,  some  of  us,  leaving  a  guard  on 
board  here.  We'll  fill  our  tanks  with  fresh  water, 
and  at  night  we'll  quietly  sink  below  the  surface 
and  speed  away." 

They  all  voted  that  an  excellent  idea,  and  little 
time  was  lost  putting  it  into  operation. 

All  the  remainder  of  that  day  not  a  sign  of 
life  was  visible  about  the  Wonder.  She  lay  inert 
On  the  surface  of  the  lagoon,  not  far  away  from 
the  Advance;  but,  though  no  one  showed  himself 
on  the  deck,  Tom  and  his  friends  had  no  doubt 
but  that  their  enemies  were  closely  watching  them. 

As  dusk  settled  down  over  the  tropical  sea,  and 
as  the  shadows  of  the  trees  on  the  little  island 


138  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

lengthened,  those  on  board  the  Advance  closed 
the  conning  tower.  No  lights  were  turned  on, 
as  they  did  not  want  their  movements  to  be  seen, 
but  Tom,  his  father  and  Mr.  Sharp  took  their 
positions  near  the  various  machines  and  apparatus, 
ready  to  open  the  tanks  and  let  the  submarine 
sink  to  the  bottom,  as  soon  as  it  was  possible  to 
do  this  unobserved. 

"Luckily  there's  no  moon,"  remarked  Captain 
Weston,  as  he  took  his  place  beside  Tom.  "Once 
below  the  surface  and  we  can  defy  them  to  find 
us.  It  is  odd  how  they  traced  us,  but  I  suppose 
that  steamer  gave  them  the  clue." 

It  rapidly  grew  dark,  as  it  always  does  in  the 
tropics,  and  when  a  cautious  observation  from 
the  conning  tower  did  not  disclose  the  outlines  of 
the  other  boat,  those  aboard  the  Advance  rightly 
concluded  that  their  rivals  were  unable  to  see 
them. 

"Send  her  down,  Tom,"  called  his  father,  and 
with  a  hiss  the  water  entered  the  tanks.  The 
submarine  quickly  sank  below  the  surface,  aided 
by  the  deflecting  rudder. 

But  alas  for  the  hopes  of  the  gold-seekers.  No 
sooner  was  she  completely  submerged,  with  the 
engine  started  so  as  to  send  her  out  of  the  lagoon 
and  to  the  open  sea,  than  the  waters  all  about 
were  made  brilliant  by  the  phosphorescent  phe- 


'WE'LL  RACE  YOU  FOR  IT!"  139 

nomenon.  In  southern  waters  this  frequently 
occurs.  Millions  of  tiny  creatures,  which,  it  is 
said,  swarm  in  the  warm  currents,  give  an  ap- 
pearance of  fire  to  the  ocean,  and  any  object  mov- 
ing through  it  can  plainly  be  seen.  It  was  so 
with  the  Advance.  The  motion  she  made  in 
shooting  forward,  and  the  undulations  caused  by 
her  submersion,  seemed  to  start  into  activity  the 
dormant  phosphorus,  and  the  submarine  was  afloat 
in  a  sea  of  fire. 

"Quick !"  cried  Tom.    "Speed  her  up !    Maybe 
we  can  get  out  of  this  patch  of  water  before  they 


see  us." 


But  it  was  too  late.  Above  them  they  could 
hear  the  electric  siren  of  the  Wonder  as  it  was 
blown  to  let  them  know  that  their  escape  had 
been  noticed.  A  moment  later  the  water,  which 
acted  as  a  sort  of  sounding-board,  or  telephone, 
brought  to  the  ears  of  Tom  Swift  and  his  friends 
the  noise  of  the  engines  of  the  other  craft  in 
operation.  She  was  coming  after  them.  The 
race  for  the  possession  of  three  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars  in  gold  was  already  under  way. 
Fate  seemed  against  those  on  board  the  Advance. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

THE  RACE 

DIRECTED  by  Captain  Weston,  who  glanced  at 
the  compass  and  told  him  which  way  to  steer  to 
clear  the  outer  coral  reef,  Tom  sent  the  submarine 
ahead,  signaling  for  full  speed  to  the  engine- 
room,  where  his  father  and  Mr.  Sharp  were.  The 
big  dynamos  purred  like  great  cats,  as  they  sent 
the  electrical  energy  into  the  forward  and  aft 
plates,  pulling  and  pushing  the  Advance  forward. 
On  and  on  she  rushed  under  water,  but  ever  as 
she  shot  ahead  the  disturbance  in  the  phosphor- 
escent water  showed  her  position  plainly.  She 
would  be  easy  to  follow. 

"Can't  you  get  any  more  speed  out  of  her?," 
asked  the  captain  of  the  lad. 

"Yes,"  was  the  quick  reply;  "by  using  the 
auxiliary  screws  I  think  we  can.  I'll  try  it." 

He  signaled  for  the  propellers,  forward  and 
aft,  to  be  put  in  operation,  and  the  motor  moving 
the  twin  screws  was  turned  on.  At  once  there 

140 


THE  RACE  141 

was  a  perceptible  increase  to  the  speed  of  the 
^Advance. 

"Are  we  leaving  them  behind?"  asked  Tom 
anxiously,  as  he  glanced  at  the  speed  gage,  and 
noted  that  the  submarine  was  now  about  five 
hundred  feet  below  the  surface. 

"Hard  to  tell,"  replied  the  captain.  "You'd 
have  to  take  an  observation  to  make  sure." 

"I'll  do  it,"  cried  the  youth.  "You  steer,  please, 
and  I'll  go  in  the  conning  tower.  I  can  look 
forward  and  aft  there,  as  well  as  straight  up. 
Maybe  I  can  see  the  Wonder" 

Springing  up  the  circular  ladder  leading  into 
the  tower,  Tom  glanced  through  the  windows  all 
about  the  small  pilot  house.  He  saw  a  curious 
sight.  It  was  as  if  the  submarine  was  in  a  sea 
of  yellowish  liquid  fire.  She  was  immersed  in 
water  which  glowed  with  the  flames  that  con- 
tained no  heat.  So  light  was  it,  in  fact,  that 
there  was  no  need  of  the  incandescents  in  the 
tower.  The  young  inventor  could  have  seen  to 
read  a  paper  by  the  illumination  of  the  phosphorus. 
But  he  had  something  else  to  do  than  observe  this  < 
phenomenon.  He  wanted  to  see  if  he  could  catch' 
sight  of  the  rival  submarine. 

At  first  he  could  make  out  nothing  save  the 
swirl  and  boiling  of  the  sea,  caused  by  the  prog- 
ress of  the  Advance  through  it.  But  suddenly, 


142  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

as  he  looked  up,  he  was  aware  of  some  great, 
black  body  a  little  to  the  rear  and  about  ten  feet 
above  his  craft. 

"A  shark !"  he  exclaimed  aloud.  "An  immense 
Dne,  too." 

But  the  closer  he  looked  the  kss  it  seemed  like 
a  shark  The  position  of  the  black  object  changed. 
It  appeared  to  settle  down,  to  be  approaching  the 
top  of  the  conning  tower.  Then,  with  a  sudden- 
ness that  unnerved  him  for  the  time  being,  Tom 
recognized  what  it  was;  it  was  the  underside  of 
a  ship.  He  could  see  the  plates  riveted  together, 
and  then,  as  he  noted  the  rounded,  cylindrical 
shape,  he  knew  that  it  was  a  submarine.  It  was 
the  Wonder.  She  was  close  at  hand  and  was 
creeping  up  on  the  Advance.  But,  what  was  more 
dangerous,  she  seemed  to  be  slowly  settling  in 
the  water.  Another  moment  and  her  great  screws 
might  crash  into  the  conning  tower  of  the  Swifts' 
boat  and  shave  it  off.  Then  the  water  would 
rush  in,  drowning  the  treasure-seekers  like  rats 
in  a  trap. 

With  a  quick  motion  Tom  yanked  over  the 
lever  that  allowed  more  water  to  flow  into  the 
ballast  tanks.  The  effect  was  at  once  apparent. 
The  Advance  shot  down  toward  the  bottom  of 
the  sea.  At  the  same  time  the  young  inventor 
signaled  to  Captain  Weston  to  notify  those  in 


THE  RACE  143 

the  engine-room  to  put  on  a  little  more  speed. 
The  Advance  fairly  leaped  ahead,  and  the  lad, 
looking  up  through  the  bull's-eye  in  the  roof  of 
the  conning  tower,  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing 
the  rival  submarine  left  behind. 

The  youth  hurried  down  into  the  interior  of 
the  ship  to  tell  what  he  had  seen,  and  explain 
me  reason  for  opening  the  ballast  tanks.  He 
found  his  father  and  Mr.  Sharp  somewhat  ex- 
cited over  the  unexpected  maneuver  of  the  craft. 

"So  they're  still  following  us,"  murmured  Mr. 
Swift.  "I  don't  see  why  we  can't  shake  them 
off." 

"It's  on  account  of  this  luminous  water,"  ex- 
plained Captain  Weston.  "Once  we  are  clear  of 
that  it  will  be  easy,  I  think,  to  give  them  the 
slip.  That  is,  if  we  can  get  out  of  their  sight 
long  enough.  Of  course,  if  they  keep  close  after 
us,  they  can  pick  us  up  with  their  searchlight,  for 
I  suppose  they  carry  one." 

"Yes,"  admitted  the  aged  inventor,  "they  have 
as  strong  a  one  as  we  have.  In  fact,  their  ship 
is  second  only  to  this  one  in  speed  and  power. 
I  know,  for  Bentley  &  Eagert  showed  me  some 
of  the  plans  before  they  started  it,  and  asked  my 
opinion.  This  was  before  I  had  the  notion  of 
building  a  submarine.  Yes,  I  am  afraid  we'll 
have  trouble  getting  away  from  them." 


144  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

"I  can't  understand  this  phosphorescent  glow 
keeping  up  so  long,"  remarked  Captain  Weston. 
"I've  seen  it  in  this  locality  several  times,  but  it 
never  covered  such  an  extent  of  thf.  ocean  in  my 
time.  There  must  be  changed  conditions  here 


now." 


For  an  hour  or  more  the  race  was  kept  up,  and 
the  two  submarines  forged  ahead  through  the 
glowing  sea.  The  Wonder  remained  slightly 
above  and  to  the  rear  of  the  other,  the  better  to 
keep  sight  of  her,  and  though  the  Advance  was 
run  to  her  limit  of  speed,  her  rival  could  not  be 
shaken  off.  Clearly  the  Wonder  was  a  speedy 
craft. 

"It's  too  bad  that  we've  got  to  fight  them,  as 
well  as  run  the  risk  of  lots  of  other  troubles 
which  are  always  present  when  sailing  under 
water,"  observed  Mr.  Damon,  who  wandered 
about  the  submarine  like  the  nervous  person  he 
was.  "Bless  my  shirt-studs !  Can't  we  blow  them 
up,  or  cripple  them  in  some  way?  They  have  no 
right  to  go  after  our  treasure." 

"Well,  I  guess  they've  got  as  much  right  as 
we  have,"  declared  Tom.  "It  goes  to  whoever 
reaches  the  wreck  first.  But  what  I  don't  like 
is  their  mean,  sneaking  way  of  doing  it.  If  they 
went  off  on  their  own  hook  and  looked  for  it  I 
wouldn't  say  a  word.  But  they  expect  us  to  lead 


THE  RACE  145 

them  to  the  wreck,  and  then  they'll  rob  us  if  they 
can.    That's  not  fair." 

"Indeed,  it  isn't/'  agreed  Captain  Weston,  "if 
I  may  be  allowed  the  expression.  We  ought  to 
find  some  way  of  stopping  them.  But,  if  I'm 
not  mistaken/'  he  added  quickly,  looking  from 
one  of  the  port  bull's-eyes,  "the  phosphorescent 
glow  is  lessening.  I  believe  we  are  running  be- 
yond that  part  of  the  ocean." 

There  was  no  doubt  of  it,  the  glow  was  grow- 
ing less  and  less,  and  ten  minutes  later  the 
^Advance  was  speeding  along  through  a  sea  as 
black  as  night.  Then,  to  avoid  running  into  some 
wreck,  it  was  necessary  to  turn  on  the  search- 
light. 

"Are  they  still  after  us  ?"  asked  Mr.  Swift  of 
his  son,  as  he  emerged  from  the  engine-room, 
where  he  had  gone  to  make  some  adjustments  to 
the  machinery,  with  the  hope  of  increasing  the 
speed. 

"I'll  go  look,"  volunteered  the  lad.  He  climbed 
up  into  the  conning  tower  again,  and  for  a  mo- 
ment, as  he  gazed  back  into  the  black  waters, 
swirling  all  about,  he  hoped  that  they  had  lost\ 
the  Wonder.  But  a  moment  later  his  heart  sank 
as  he  caught  sight,  through  the  liquid  element, 
of  the  flickering  gleams  of  another  searchlight, 
the  rays  undulating  through  the  sea.  / 


146  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

"Still  following,"  murmured  the  young  in- 
ventor. "They're  not  going  to  give  up.  But  we 
must  make  'em — that's  all." 

He  went  down  to  report  what  he  had  seen,  and 
a  consultation  was  held.  Captain  Weston  care- 
fully studied  the  charts  of  that  part  of  the  ocean, 
and  rinding  that  there  was  a  great  depth  of  water 
at  hand,  proposed  a  series  of  evolutions. 

"We  can  go  up  and  down,  shoot  first  to  one 
side  and  then  to  the  other,"  he  explained.  "We 
can  even  drop  down  to  the  bottom  and  rest  there 
for  a  while.  Perhaps,  in  that  way,  we  can  shake 
them  off." 

They  tried  it.  The  Advance  was  sent  up  until 
her  conning  tower  was  out  of  the  water,  and  then 
she  was  suddenly  forced  down  until  she  was  but 
a  few  feet  from  the  bottom.  She  darted  to  the 
left,  to  the  right,  and  even  doubled  and  went  back 
over  the  course  she  had  taken.  But  all  to  no 
purpose.  The  Wonder  proved  fully  as  speedy, 
and  those  in  her  seemed  to  know  just  how  to 
handle  the  submarine,  so  that  every  evolution  of 
the  Advance  was  duplicated.  Her  rival  could  not 
be  shaken  off. 

All  night  this  was  kept  up,  and  when  morning 
came,  though  only  the  clocks  told  it,  for  eternal 
night  was  below  the  surface,  the  rival  gold-seekers 
were  still  on  the  trail. 


THE  RACE  147 

"They  won't  give  up,"  declared  Mr.  Swift 
hopelessly. 

"No,  weVe  got  to  race  them  for  it,  just  as 
Berg  proposed/'  admitted  Tom.  "But  if  they 
want  a  straightaway  race  we'll  give  it  to  'em 
Let's  run  her  to  the  limit,  dad." 

"That's  what  we've  been  doing,  Tom." 

"No,  not  exactly,  for  we've  been  submerged  a 
little  too  much  to  get  the  best  speed  out  of  our 
craft  Let's  go  a  little  nearer  the  surface,  and 
give  them  the  best  race  they'll  ever  have." 

Then  the  race  began;  and  such  a  contest  of 
speed  as  it  was!  With  her  propellers  working 
to  the  limit,  and  every  volt  of  electricity  that 
was  available  forced  into  the  forward  and  aft 
plates,  the  Advance  surged  through  the  water, 
about  ten  feet  below  the  surface.  But  the  Wonder 
kept  after  her,  giving  her  knot  for  knot.  The 
course  of  the  leading  submarine  was  easy  to  trace 
now,  in  the  morning  light  which  penetrated  ten 
feet  down. 

"No  use,"  remarked  Tom  again,  when,  after 
two  hours,  the  Wonder  was  still  close  behind 
them.  "Our  only  chance  is  that  they  may  have 
a  breakdown." 

"Or  run  out  of  air,  or  something  like  that," 
added  Captain  Weston.  "They  are  crowding  us 
pretty  close.  I  had  no  idea  they  could  keep  up 


148  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

this  speed.  If  they  don't  look  out,"  he  went  on 
as  he  looked  from  one  of  the  aft  observation  win- 
dows, "they'll  foul  us,  and " 

His  remarks  were  interrupted  by  a  jar  to  the 
Advance.  She  seemed  to  shiver  and  careened  to 
one  side.  Then  came  another  bump. 

"Slow  down !"  cried  the  captain,  rushing  toward 
the  pilot  house. 

"What's  the  matter?"  asked  Tom,  as  he  threw 
the  engines  and  electrical  machines  out  of  gear. 
Have  we  hit  anything?" 

"No.  Something  has  hit  us,"  cried  the  captain. 
"Their  submarine  has  rammed  us." 

"Rammed  us!"  repeated  Mr.  Swift.  "Tom, 
run  out  the  electric  cannon!  They're  trying  to 
sink  us!  We'll  have  to  fight  them.  Run  out 
the  stern  electric  gun  and  we'll  make  them  wish 
they'd  not  followed  us !" 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

THE  ELECTRIC  GUN 

THERE  was  much  excitement  aboard  the 
Advance.  The  submarine  came  to  a  stop  in  the 
water,  while  the  treasure-seekers  waited  anxiously 
for  what  was  to  follow.  Would  they  be  rammed 
again?  This  time,  stationary  as  they  were,  and 
with  the  other  boat  coming  swiftly  on,  a  hole 
might  be  stove  through  the  Advance,  in  spite  of 
her  powerful  sides. 

They  had  not  long  to  wait.  Again  there  came 
a  jar,  and  once  more  the  Swifts'  boat  careened. 
But  the  blow  was  a  glancing  one  and,  fortunately, 
did  little  damage. 

"They  certainly  must  be  trying  to  sink  us," 
agreed  Captain  Weston.  "Come,  Tom,  we'll  take 
a  look  from  the  stern  and  see  what  they're  up 
to." 

"And  get  the  stern  electric  gun  ready  to  fire," 
repeated  Mr.  Swift.  "We  must  protect  ourselves. 
Mr.  Sharp  and  I  will  go  to  the  bow.  There  is 
149 


150  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

no  telling  what  they  may  do.    They're  desperate, 
and  may  ram  us  from  in  front.'* 

Tom  and  the  captain  hurried  aft.  Through 
the  thick  plate-glass  windows  they  could  see  the 
blunt  nose  of  the  Wonder  not  far  away,  the  rival 
submarine  having  come  to  a  halt.  There  she  lay, 
black  and  silent,  like  some  monster  fish  waiting 
to  devour  its  victim. 

"There  doesn't  appear  to  be  much  damage 
done  back  here,"  observed  Tom.  "No  leaks. 
Guess  they  didn't  puncture  us." 

"Perhaps  it  was  due  to  an  accident  that  they 
rammed  us,"  suggested  the  captain. 

"Well,  they  wouldn't  have  done  it  if  they  hadn't 
followed  us  so  close,"  was  the  opinion  of  the 
young  inventor.  "They're  taking  toa  many 
chances.  We've  got  to  stop  'em." 

"What  is  this  electric  gun  your  father  speaks 
of?" 

"Why,  it's  a  regular  electric  cannon.  It  firei 
a  solid  ball,  weighing  about  twenty-five  pounds, 
but  instead  of  powder,  which  would  hardly  do 
Under  water,  and  instead  of  compressed  air,  which 
is  used  in  the  torpedo  tubes  of  the  Government 
submarines,  we  use  a  current  of  electricity.  It 
forces  the  cannon  ball  out  with  great  energy." 

"I  wonder  what  they  will  do  next?"  observed 
the  captain,  peering  through  a  bull's-eye. 


THE  ELECTRIC  GUN  151 

"We  can  soon  tell,"  replied  the  youth.  "Well 
go  ahead,  and  if  they  try  to  follow  I'm  going  to 
fire  on  them." 

"Suppose  you  sink  them?" 

"I  won't  fire  to  do  that;  only  to  disable  them. 
They  brought  it  on  themselves.  We  can't  risk 
having  them  damage  us.  Help  me  with  the  can- 
non, will  you  please,  captain?" 

The  electric  cannon  was  a  long,  steel  tube  in 
the  after  part  of  the  submarine.  It  projected  a 
slight  distance  from  the  sides  of  the  ship,  and  by 
an  ingenious  arrangement  could  be  swung  around 
in  a  ball  and  socket  joint,  thus  enabling  it  to 
shoot  in  almost  any  direction. 

It  was  the  work  of  but  a  few  minutes  to  get 
it  ready  and,  with  the  muzzle  pointing  toward  the 
Wonder,  Tom  adjusted  the  electric  wires  and  in- 
serted the  solid  shot. 

"Now  we're  prepared  for  them !"  he  cried.  "I 
think  a  good  plan  will  be  to  start  ahead,  and  if 
they  try  to  follow  to  fire  on  them.  They've 
brought  it  on  themselves." 

"Correct,"  spoke  Captain  Weston. 

Tom  hurried  forward  to  tell  his  father  of  this 
plan. 

"We'll  do  it!"  cried  Mr.  Swift.  "Go  ahead, 
Mr.  Sharp,  and  we'll  see  if  those  scoundrels  will 
follow." 


152  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

The  young  inventor  returned  on  the  run  to 
the  electric  cannon.  There  was  a  whirr  of  ma- 
chinery, and  the  Advance  moved  forward.  She 
increased  her  speed,  and  the  two  watchers  in 
the  stern  loked  anxiously  out  of  the  windows  to 
see  what  their  rivals  would  do. 

For  a  moment  no  movement  was  noticeable  on 
the  part  of  the  Wonder.  Then,  as  those  aboard 
her  appeared  to  realize  that  the  craft  on  which 
they  depended  to  pilot  them  to  the  sunken  treasure 
was  slipping  away,  word  was  given  to  follow. 
The  ship  of  Berg  and  his  employers  shot  after  the 
Advance. 

"Here  they  come!"  cried  Captain  Weston.( 
"They're  going  to  ram  us  again  I" 

"Then  I'm  going  to  fire  on  them!"  declared 
Tom  savagely. 

On  came  the  Wonder,  nearer  and  nearer.  Her 
speed  was  rapidly  increasing.  Suddenly  she 
bumped  the  Advance,  and  then,  as  if  it  was  an 
unavoidable  accident,  the  rear  submarine  sheered 
off  to  one  side. 

"They're  certainly  at  it  again!"  cried  Tom, 
and  peering  from  the  bull's-eye  he  saw  the 
Wonder  shoot  past  mouth  of  the  electric  cannon. 
"Here  it  goes !"  he  added. 

He  shoved  over  the  lever,  making  the  proper 
^connection.    There  was  no  corresponding  report, 


ELECTRIC  GUN  153 

for  the  cannon  was  noiseless,  but  there  was  a 
slight  jar  as  the  projectile  left  the  muzzle.  The 
Wonder  could  be  seen  to  heel  over. 

"You  hit  her!  You  hit  her!"  cried  Captain 
Weston.  "A  good  shot!" 

"I  was  afraid  she  was  past  me  when  I  pulled 
the  lever,"  explained  Tom.  "She  went  like  a 
flash." 

"No,  you  caught  her  on  the  rudder,"  declared 
the  captain.  "I  think  you've  put  her  out  of  busi- 
ness. Yes,  they're  rising  to  the  surface." 

The  lad  rapidly  inserted  another  ball,  and  re- 
charged the  cannon.  Then  he  peered  out  into 
the  water,  illuminated  by  the  light  of  day  over- 
head, as  they  were  not  far  down.  He  could  see 
the  Wonder  rising  to  the  surface.  Clearly  some- 
thing had  happened. 

"Maybe  they're  going  to  drop  down  on  us 
from  above,  and  try  to  sink  us,"  suggested  the 
youth,  while  he  stood  ready  to  fire  again.  "If 
they  do " 

His  words  were  interrupted  by  a  slight  jar 
throughout  the  submarine. 

"What  was  that  ?"  cried  the  captain. 

"Dad  fired  the  bow  gun  at  them,  but  I  don't 
believe  he  hit  them,"  answered  the  young  inventor. 
"I  wonder  what  damage  I  did?  Guess  we'll  go 
to  the  surface  to  find  out." 


154  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

Clearly  the  Wonder  had  given  up  the  fight  for 
the  time  being.  In  fact,  she  had  no  weapon  with 
which  to  respond  to  a  fusilade  from  her  rivaL 
Tom  hastened  forward  and  informed  his  father 
of  what  had  happened. 

"If  her  steering  gear  is  out  of  order,  we  may, 
have  a  chance  to  slip  away,"  said  Mr.  Swift. 
"We'll  go  up  and  see  what  we  can  learn." 

A  few  minutes  later  Tom,  his  father  and  Cap- 
tain  Weston  stepped  from  the  conning  tower, 
which  was  out  of  water,  on  to  the  little  flat  deck. 
A  short  distance  away  lay  the  Wonder,  and  on 
her  deck  was  Berg  and  a  number  of  men,  evi- 
dently members  of  the  crew. 

"Why  did  you  fire  on  us?"  shcuted  the  agent 
angrily. 

"Why  did  you  follow  us?"  retorted  Tom. 

"Well,  you've  broken  our  rudder  and  disabled 
us,"  went  on  Berg,  not  answering  the  question. 
"You'll  suffer  for  this !  I'll  have  you  arrested." 

"You  only  got  what  you  deserved,"  added  Mr. 
Swift.  "You  were  acting  illegally,  following  us, 
and  you  tried  to  sink  us  by  ramming  my  craft,, 
before  we  retaliated  by  firing  on  you." 

"It  was  an  accident,  ramming  you,"  said  Berg. 
"We  couldn't  help  it  I  now  demand  that  you 
help  us  make  repairs." 

"Well,    you've    got    nerve!"    cried    Captain 


THE  ELECTRIC  GUN  155 

Weston,  his  eyes  flashing.  "I'd  like  to  have  a  per- 
sonal interview  with  you  for  about  ten  minutes. 
Maybe  something  besides  your  ship  would  need 
repairs  then." 

Berg  turned  away,  scowling,  but  did  not  reply. 
He  began  directing  the  crew  what  to  do  about 
the  broken  rudder. 

"Come  on,"  proposed  Tom  in  a  low  voice,  for 
sounds  carry  very  easily  over  water.  "Let's  go 
below  and  skip  out  while  we  have  a  chance.  They 
can't  follow  now,  and  we  can  get  to  the  sunken 
treasure  ahead  of  them." 

"Good  advice,"  commented  his  father.  "Come, 
Captain  Weston,  we'll  go  below  and  close  the 
conning  tower." 

Five  minutes  later  the  Advance  sank  from 
sight,  the  last  glimpse  Tom  had  of  Berg  and  his 
men  being  a  sight  of  them  standing  on  the  deck 
of  their  floating  boat,  gazing  in  the  direction  of 
their  successful  rival.  The  Wonder  was  left  be- 
hind, while  Tom  and  his  friends  were  soon  once 
more  speeding  toward  the  treasure  wreck. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

CAPTURED 

"DOWN  deep,"  advised  Captain  Weston,  as  tie 
stood  beside  Tom  and  Mr.  Swift  in  the  pilot 
house.  "As  far  as  you  can  manage  her,  and 
then  forward.  We'll  take  no  more  chances  with 
these  fellows." 

"The  only  trouble  is,"  replied  the  young  in- 
ventor, "that  the  deeper  we  go  the  slower  we 
have  to  travel.  The  water  is  so  dense  that  it 
holds  us  back." 

"Well,  there  is  no  special  need  of  hurrying 
now,"  went  on  the  sailor.  "No  one  is  following 
you,  and  two  or  three  days  difference  in  reaching 
the  wreck  will  not  amount  to  anything." 

"Unless  they  repair  their  rudder,  and  take  after 
us  again,"  suggested  Mr.  Swift. 

"They're  not  very  likely  to  do  that,"  was  ths 

captain's  opinion.     "It  was  more  by  luck  than 

good  management  that  they  picked  us  up  before. 

Now,  having  to  delay,  as  they  will,  to  repair  their 

156 


CAPTURED 

steering  gear,  while  we  can  go  as  deep  as  we 
please  and  speed  ahead,  it  is  practically  impossi- 
ble for  them  to  catch  up  to  us.  No,  I  think  we 
have  nothing  to  fear  from  them." 

But  though  danger  from  Berg  and  his  crowd 
was  somewhat  remote,  perils  of  another  sort  were 
hovering  around  the  treasure-seekers,  and  they 
were  soon  to  experience  them. 

It  was  much  different  from  sailing  along  in  the 
airship,  Tom  thought,  for  there  was  no  blue  sky 
and  fleecy  clouds  to  see,  and  they  could  not  look 
down  and  observe,  far  below  them,  cities  and 
villages.  Nor  could  they  breathe  the  bracing  at- 
mosphere of  the  upper  regions. 

But  if  there  was  lack  of  the  rarefied  air  of  the 
elouds,  there  was  no  lack  of  fresh  atmosphere. 
The  big  tanks  carried  a  large  supply,  and  when- 
ever more  was  needed  the  oxygen  machine  would 
supply  it. 

As  there  was  no  need,  however,  of  remain- 
ing under  water  for  any  great  stretch  of  time,  it 
was  their  practice  to  rise  every  day  and  renew 
the  air  supply,  also  to  float  along  on  the  surface 
for  a  while,  or  speed  along,  with  only  the  con- 
ning tower  out,  in  order  to  afford  a  view,  and 
to  enable  Captain  Weston  to  take  observations. 
But  care  was  always  exercised  to  make  sure  no 
ships  were  in  sight  when  emerging  on  the  sur- 


158  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

face,  for  the  gold-seekers  did  not  want  to  be 
hailed  and  questioned  by  inquisitive  persons. 

It  was  about  four  days  after  the  disabling  of 
the  rival  submarine,  and  the  Advance  was  speed- 
jng  along  about  a  mile  and  a  half  under  water. 
/Tom  was  in  the  pilot  house  with  Captain  Weston, 
Mr.  Damon  was  at  his  favorite  pastime  of  look- 
ing out  of  the  glass  side  windows  into  the  ocean 
and  its  wonders,  and  Mr.  Swift  and  the  balloon- 
ists  were,  as  usual,  in  the  engine-room. 

"How  near  do  you  calculate  we  are  to  the 
sunken  wreck?"  asked  Tom  of  his  companion. 

"Well,  at  the  calculation  we  made  yesterday, 
we  are  within  about  a  thousand  miles  of  it  now. 
We  ought  to  reach  it  in  about  four  more  days,  if 
we  don't  have  any  accidents." 

"And  how  deep  do  you  think  it  is?"  went  on 
the  lad. 

"Well,  I'm  afraid  it's  pretty  close  to  two  miles, 
if  not  more.  It's  quite  a  depth,  and  of  course 
impossible  for  ordinary  divers  to  reach.  But  it 
will  be  possible  in  this  submarine  and  in  the  strong 
diving  suits  your  father  has  invented  for  us  to 
get  to  it.  Yes,  I  don't  anticipate  much  trouble 
in  getting  out  the  gold,  once  we  reach  the  wreck. 
Of  course " 

The  captain's  remark  was  not  finished.  From 
the  engine-room  there  came  a  startled  shout : 


CAPTURED  159 

'Tom!  Tom!  Your  father  is  hurt!  Come 
here,  quick!" 

"Take  the  wheel!"  cried  the  lad  to  the  cap- 
tain. "I  must  go  to  my  father."  It  was  Mr. 
Sharp's  voice  he  had  heard. 

Racing  to  the  engine-room,  Tom  saw  his  parent 
doubled  up  over  a  dynamo,  while  to  one  side,  his 
hand  on  a  copper  switch,  stood  Mr.  Sharp. 

"What's  the  matter?"  shouted  the  lad. 

"He's  held  there  by  a  current  of  electricity," 
replied  the  balloonist.  "The  wires  are  crossed." 

"Why  don't  you  shut  off  the  current  ?"  demand- 
ed the  youth,  as  he  prepared  to  pull  his  parent 
from  the  whirring  machine.  Then  he  hesitated, 
for  he  feared  he,  too,  would  be  glued  fast  by  the 
terrible  current,  and  so  be  unable  to  help  Mn 
Swift. 

"I'm  held  fast  here,  too,"  replied  the  balloon- 
ist. "I  started  to  cut  out  the  current  at  this  switch, 
but  there's  a  short  circuit  somewhere,  and  I  can't 
let  go,  either.  Quick,  shut  off  all  power  at  the 
main  switchboard  forward." 

Tom  realized  that  this  was  the  only  thing  to  do. 
He  ran  forward  and  with  a  yank  cut  out  all  the 
electric  wires.  With  a  sigh  of  relief  Mr.  Sharp 
pulled  his  hands  from  the  copper  where  he  had 
been  held  fast  as  if  by  some  powerful  magnet,  his 
muscles  cramped  by  the  current.  Fortunately  the 


160  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

electricity  was  of  low  voltage,  and  he  was  not 
burned.  The  body  of  Mr.  Swift  toppled  back- 
ward from  the  dynamo,  as  Tom  sprang  to  reach 
his  father. 

"He's  dead !"  he  cried,  as  he  saw  the  pale  face 
and  the  closed  eyes. 

"No,  only  badly  shocked,  I  hope,"  spoke  Mr. 
Sharp.  "But  we  must  get  him  to  the  fresh  air 
at  once.  Start  the  tank  pumps.  We'll  rise  to  the 
surface." 

The  youth  needed  no  second  bidding.  Once 
more  turning  on  the  electric  current,  he  set  the 
powerful  pumps  in  motion  and  the  submarine 
began  to  rise.  Then,  aided  by  Captain  Weston 
and  Mr.  Damon,  the  young  inventor  carried  his 
father  to  a  couch  in  the  main  cabin.  Mr.  Sharp 
took  charge  of  the  machinery. 

Restoratives  were  applied,  and  there  was  a 
flutter  of  the  eyelids  of  the  aged  inventor. 

"I  think  he'll  come  around  all  right,"  said  the 
sailor  kindly,  as  he  saw  Tom's  grief.  "Fresh  air 
will  be  the  thing  for  him.  We'll  be  on  the  surface 
in  a  minute." 

Up  shot  the  Advance,  while  Mr.  Sharp  stood 
yeady  to  open  the  conning  tower  as  soon  as  it 
should  be  out  of  water.  Mr.  Swift  seemed  to  be 
rapidly  reviving.  With  a  bound  the  submarine, 
forced  upward  from  the  great  depth,  fairly  shot 


CAPTURED  l6l 

out  of  the  water.  There  was  a  clanking  sound 
as  the  aeronaut  opened  the  airtight  door  of  the 
tower,  and  a  breath  of  fresh  air  came  in. 

"Can  you  walk,  dad,  or  shall  we  carry  you?" 
asked  Tom  solitiously. 

"Oh,  I — I'm  feeling  better  now,"  was  the  in- 
ventor's reply.  "I'll  soon  be  all  right  when  I  get 
out  on  deck.  My  foot  slipped  as  I  was  adjusting 
a  wire  that  had  gotten  out  of  order,  and  I  fell 
so  that  I  received  a  large  part  of  the  current.  I'm 
glad  I  was  not  burned.  Was  Mr.  Sharp  hurt? 
I  saw  him  run  to  the  switch,  just  before  I  lost 


consciousness." 


"No,  I'm  all  right,"  answered  the  balloonist. 
"But  allow  us  to  get  you  out  to  the  fresh  air. 
You'll  feel  much  better  then." 

Mr.  Swift  managed  to  walk  slowly  to  the  lad* 
der  leading  to  the  conning  tower,  and  thence  to 
the  deck.  The  others  followed  him.  As  all 
emerged  from  the  submarine  they  uttered  a  cry 
of  astonishment. 

There,  not  one  hundred  yards  away,  was  a 
great  warship,  flying  a  flag  which,  in  a  moment, 
Tom  recognized  as  that  of  Brazil.  The  cruiser 
was  lying  off  a  small  island,  and  all  about  were 
small  boats,  filled  with  natives,  who  seemed  to  be 
bringing  supplies  from  land  to  the  ship.  At  the 
unexpected  sight  of  the  submarine,  bobbing  tig 


162  TOM  Stt'IFT  AND  HIS  'SUBMARINE  BOAT 

from  the  bottom  of  the  ocean,  the  natives  uttered 
cries  of  fright.  The  attention  of  those  on  the 
warship  was  attracted,  and  the  bridge  and  rails 
were  lined  with  curious  officers  and  men. 

"It's  a  good  thing  we  didn't  come  up  under  that 
ship,"  observed  Tom.  "They  would  have  thought 
we  were  trying  to  torpedo  her.  Do  you  feel 
better,  dad  ?"  he  asked,  his  wonder  over  the  sight 
of  the  big  vessel  temporarily  eclipsed  in  his  anx- 
iety for  his  parent. 

"Oh,  yes,  much  better.  I'm  all  right  now. 
But  I  wish  we  hadn't  disclosed  ourselves  to  these 
people.  They  may  demand  to  know  where  we 
are  going,  and  Brazil  is  too  near  Uruguay  to 
make  it  safe  to  tell  our  errand.  They  may  guess 
it,  however,  from  having  read  of  the  wreck,  and 
our  departure." 

"Oh,  I  guess  it  will  be  all  right,"  replied  Cap- 
tain Weston.  "We  can  tell  them  we  are  on  a 
pleasure  trip.  That's  true  enough.  It  would  give 
us  great  pleasure  to  find  that  gold." 

"There's  a  boat,  with  some  officers  in  it,  to 
;iudge  by  the  amount  of  gold  lace  on  them,  putting* 
off  from  the  ship,"  remarked  Mr.  Sharp. 

"Ha !  Yes !  Evidently  they  intend  to  pay  us 
a  formal  visit,"  observed  Mr.  Damon.  "Bless  my 
gaiters,  though.  I'm  not  dressed  to  receive  com- 
pany. I  think  I'll  put  on  my  dress  suit." 


CAPTURED  163 

"It's  too  late,"  advised  Tom.  "They'll  be  here 
in  a  minute." 

Urged  on  by  the  lusty  arms  of  the  Brazilian 
sailors,  the  boat,  containing  several  officers,  neared 
the  floating  submarine  rapidly. 

"Ahoy  there !"  called  an  officer  in  the  bow,  his 
accent  betraying  his  unfamiliarity  with  the  Eng- 
lish language.  "What  craft  are  you  ?" 

"Submarine,  Advance,  from  New  Jersey,"  re- 
plied Tom.  "Who  are  you  ?" 

"Brazilian  cruiser  San  Paulo''  was  the  reply. 
"Where  are  you  bound  ?"  went  on  the  officer. 

"On  pleasure,"  answered  Captain  Weston 
quickly.  "But  why  do  you  ask?  We  are  an 
American  ship,  sailing  under  American  colors. 
Is  this  Brazilian  territory?" 

"This  island  is — yes,"  came  back  the  answer, 
and  by  this  time  the  small  boat  was  at  the  side 
of  the  submarine.  Before  the  adventurers  could 
have  protested,  had  they  a  desire  to  do  so,  there 
were  a  number  of  officers  and  the  crew  of  the 
San  Paulo  on  the  small  deck. 

With  a  flourish,  the  officer  who  had  done  the 
questioning  drew  his  sword.  Waving  it  in  the 
air  with  a  dramatic  gesture,  he  exclaimed : 

"You're  our  prisoners!  Resist  and  my  men 
shall  cut  you  down  like  dogs !  Seize  them,  men !" 

The  sailors  sprang  forward,  each  one  station- 


164  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

ing  himself  at  the  side  of  one  of  our  friends,  and 
grasping  an  arm. 

"What  does  this  mean  ?"  cried  Captain  Weston 
indignantly.  "If  this  is  a  joke,  you're  carrying  it 
too  far.  If  you're  in  earnest,  let  me  warn  you 
against  interfering  with  Americans !" 

"We  know  what  we  are  doing,"  was  the  an- 
swer from  the  officer. 

The  sailor  who  had  hold  of  Captain  Weston 
endeavored  to  secure  a  tighter  grip.  The  captain 
turned  suddenly,  and  seizing  the  man  about  the 
waist,  with  an  exercise  of  tremendous  strength 
hurled  him  over  his  head  and  into  the  sea,  the 
man  making  a  great  splash. 

"That's  the  way  I'll  treat  any  one  else  who  dares 
lay  a  hand  on  me !"  shouted  the  captain,  who  was 
transformed  from  a  mild-mannered  individual  into 
an  angry,  modern  giant.  There  was  a  gasp  of 
astonishment  at  his  feat,  as  the  ducked  sailor 
crawled  back  into  the  small  boat.  And  he  did 
not  again  venture  on  the  deck  of  the  submarine. 

"Seize  them,  men !"  cried  the  gold-laced  officer 
again,  and  this  time  he  and  his  fellows,  including 
the  crew,  crowded  so  closely  around  Tom  and 
his  friends  that  they  could  do  nothing.  Even 
Captain  Weston  found  it  impossible  to  offer  any 
resistance,  for  three  men  grabbed  hold  of  him, 


CAPTURED  16$ 

But  his  spirit  was  still  a  fighting  one,  an4  he 
struggled  desperately  but  uselessly. 

"How  dare  you  do  this  ?"  he  cried. 

"Yes,"  added  Tom,  "what  right  have  you  to 
interfere  with  us  ?" 

"Every  right,"  declared  the  gold-laced  officer. 
"You  are  in  Brazilian  territory,  and  I  arrest  you." 

"What  for?"  demanded  Mr.  Sharp. 

"Because  your  ship  is  an  American  submarine, 
and  we  have  received  word  that  you  intend  to 
damage  our  shipping,  and  may  try  to  torpedo  our 
warships.  I  believe  you  tried  to  disable  us  a 
little  while  ago,  but  failed.  We  consider  that  an 
act  of  war  and  you  will  be  treated  accordingly. 
Take  them  on  board  the  San  Paulo,"  the  officer 
went  on,  turning  to  his  aides.  "We'll  try  them 
by  court-marital  here.  Some  of  you  remain  and 
guard  this  submarine.  We  will  teach  these  fili- 
bustering Americans  a  lesson." 


CHAPTER  XX 

DOOMED  TO  DEATH 

THERE  was  no  room  on  the  small  deck  of  the 
submarine  to  make  a  stand  against  the  officers 
and  crew  of  the  Brazilian  warship.  In  fact,  the 
capture  of  the  gold-seekers  had  been  effected  so 
suddenly  that  their  astonishment  almost  deprived 
them  of  the  power  to  think  clearly. 

At  another  command  from  the  officer,  who  was 
addressed  as  Admiral  Fanchetti,  several  of  the 
sailors  began  to  lead  Tom  and  his  friends  toward 
the  small  boat. 

"Do  you  feel  all  right,  father?"  inquired  the 
lad  anxiously,  as  he  looked  at  his  parent.  "These 
scoundrels  have  no  right  to  treat  us  so." 

"Yes,  Tom,  I'm  all  right  as  far  as  the  electric 
shock  is  concerned,  but  I  don't  like  to  be  handled 
in  this  fashion." 

"We  ought  not  to  submit!"  burst  out  Mr. 
Damon.  "Bless  the  stars  and  stripes !  We  ought 

to  fight/' 

166 


DOOMED  TO  DEATH  167 

"There's  no  chance,"  said  Mr.  Sharp.  "We  are 
right  under  the  guns  of  the  ship.  They  could 
sink  us  with  one  shot.  I  guess  we'll  have  to  give 
in  for  the  time  being." 

"It  is  most  unpleasant,  if  I  may  be  allowed  the 
expression/'  commented  Captain  Weston  mildly. 
He  seemed  to  have  lost  his  sudden  anger,  but 
there  was  a  steely  glint  in  his  eyes,  and  a  grim, 
set  look  around  his  mouth  that  showed  his  temper 
was  kept  under  control  only  by  an  effort.  It  boded 
no  good  to  the  sailors  who  had  hold  of  the 
doughty  captain  if  he  should  once  get  loose,  and 
it  was  noticed  that  they  were  on  their  guard. 

As  for  Tom,  he  submitted  quietly  to  the  two 
Brazilians  who  had  hold  of  either  arm,  and  Mr. 
Swift  was  held  by  only  one,  for  it  was  seen  that 
he  was  feeble. 

"Into  the  boat  with  them !"  cried  Admiral  Fan- 
chetti.  "And  guard  them  well,  Lieutenant  Dras- 
ealo,  for  I  heard  them  plotting  to  escape,"  and 
the  admiral  signaled  to  a  younger  officer,  who 
was  in  charge  of  the  men  guarding  the  prisoners. 

"Lieutenant  Drascalo,  eh?"  murmured  Mr. 
Damon.  "I  think  they  made  a  mistake  naming 
him.  It  ought  to  be  Rascalo.  He  looks  like  a 
rascal." 

"Silenceo!"  exclaimed  the  lieutenant,  scowling 
at  the  odd  character. 


i68  TOM  SWIFT:  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

"Bless  my  spark  plug!  He's  a  regular  fire- 
eater!"  went  on  Mr.  Damon,  who  appeared  to 
have  fully  recovered  his  spirits. 

"Silenceo !"  cried  the  lieutenant,  scowling  again, 
but  Mr.  Damon  did  not  appear  to  mind. 

Admiral  Fanchetti  and  several  others  of  the 
gold-laced  officers  remained  aboard  the  submarine, 
while  Tom  and  his  friends  were  hustled  into  the 
small  boat  and  rowed  toward  the  warship. 

"I  hope  they  don't  damage  our  craft,"  mur- 
mured the  young  inventor,  as  he  saw  the  admiral 
enter  the  conning  tower. 

"If  they  do,  we'll  complain  to  the  United  States 
consul  and  demand  damages,"  said  Mr.  Swift. 

"I'm  afraid  we  won't  have  a  chance  to  com- 
municate with  the  consul,"  remarked  Captain 
Weston. 

"What  do  you  mean?"  asked  Mr.  Damon. 
"Bless  my  shoelaces,  but  will  these  scoun- 
drels  " 

"Silenceo !"  cried  Lieutenant  Drascalo  quickly. 
"Dogs  of  Americans,  do  you  wish  to  insult  us  ?" 

"Impossible;  you  wouldn't  appreciate  a  good, 
genuine  United  States  insult,"  murmured  Tom 
under  his  breath. 

"What  I  mean,"  went  on  the  captain,  "is  that 
these  people  may  carry  the  proceedings  off  with 


DOOMED  TO  DEATH  169 

a  high  hand.  You  heard  the  admiral  speak  of  a 
court-martial." 

"Would  they  dare  do  that?"  inquired  Mr. 
Sharp. 

1  "They  would  dare  anything  in  this  part  of  the 
world,  I'm  afraid,"  resumed  Captain  Weston. 
"I  think  I  see  their  plan,  though.  This  admiral 
is  newly  in  command;  his  uniform  shows  that 
He  wants  to  make  a  name  for  himself,  and  he 
seizes  on  our  submarine  as  an  excuse.  He  can 
send  word  to  his  government  that  he  destroyed  a 
torpedo  craft  that  sought  to  wreck  his  ship.  Thus 
he  will  acquire  a  reputation." 

"But  would  his  government  support  him  in 
such  a  hostile  act  against  the  United  States,  a 
friendly  nation?"  asked  Tom. 

"X)h,  he  would  not  claim  to  have  acted  against 
the  United  States  as  a  power.  He  would  say 
that  it  was  a  private  submarine,  and,  as  a  matter 
of  fact,  it  is.  While  we  are  under  the  protection 
of  the  stars  and  stripes,  our  vessel  is  not  a  Gov- 
ernment one,"  and  Captain  Weston  spoke  the 
last  in  a  low  voice,  so  the  scowling  lieutenant 
could  not  hear. 

"What  will  they  do  with  us?"  inquired  Mr. 
Swift. 

"Have  some  sort  of  a  court-martial,  perhaps," 
on  the  captain,  "and  confiscate  our  craft 


i;o  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

Then  they  will  send  us  back  home,  I  expect,  for 
they  would  not  dare  harm  us." 

"But  take  our  submarine !"  cried  Tom.  "The 
villains " 

"Silenceo!"  shouted  Lieutenant  Drascalo,  and 
he  drew  his  sword. 

By  this  time  the  small  boat  was  under  the  big 
guns  of  the  San  Paulo,  and  the  prisoners  were  or- 
dered, in  broken  English,  to  mount  a  companion 
ladder  that  hung  over  the  side.  In  a  short  time 
they  were  on  deck,  amid  a  crowd  of  sailors,  and 
they  could  see  the  boat  going  back  to  bring  off 
the  admiral,  who  signaled  from  the  submarine, 
Tom  and  his  friends  were  taken  below  to  a  room 
that  looked  like  a  prison,  and  there,  a  little  later, 
they  were  visited  by  Admiral  Fanchetti  and  sev- 
eral officers. 

"You  will  be  tried  at  once,"  said  the  admiral. 
"I  have  examined  your  submarine  and  I  find 
she  carries  two  torpedo  tubes.  It  is  a  wonder 
you  did  not  sink  me  at  once." 

"Those  are  not  torpedo  tubes !"  cried  Tom,  un- 
able to  keep  silent,  though  Captain  Weston 
motioned  him  to  do  so. 

"I  know  torpedo  tubes  when  I  see  them,"  de- 
clared the  admiral.  "I  consider  I  had  a  very 
narrow  escape.  Your  country  is  fortunate  that 
mine  does  not  declare  war  against  it  for  this 


DOOMED  TO  DEATH  171 

act.  But  I  take  it  you  are  acting  privately,  for 
you  fly  no  flag,  though  you  claim  to  be  from  the 
United  States." 

"There's  no  place  for  a  flag  on  the  submarine," 
went  on  Tom.  "What  good  would  it  be  under 
water?" 

"Silenceo !"  cried  Lieutenant  Drascalo,  the  ad- 
monition to  silence  seeming  to  be  the  only  com- 
mand of  which  he  was  capable. 

"I  shall  confiscate  your  craft  for  my  govern- 
ment," went  on  the  admiral,  "and  shall  punisK 
you  as  the  court-martial  may  direct.  You  will  be 
tried  at  once." 

It  was  in  vain  for  the  prisoners  to  protest. 
Matters  were  carried  with  a  high  hand.  They 
were  allowed  a  spokesman,  and  Captain  Weston, 
who  understood  Spanish,  was  selected,  that  lan- 
guage being  used.  But  the  defense  was  a  farce, 
for  he  was  scarcely  listened  to.  Several  officers 
testified  before  the  admiral,  who  was  judge,  that 
they  had  seen  the  submarine  rise  out  of  the  water, 
almost  under  the  prow  of  the  San  Paulo.  It  was 
assumed  that  the  Advance  had  tried  to  wreck  the 
warship,  but  had  failed.  It  was  in  vain  that 
Captain  Weston  and  the  others  told  of  the  reason 
for  their  rapid  ascent  from  the  ocean  depths — 
that  Mr.  Swift  had  been  shocked,  and  needed  fresh 
air.  Their  story  was  not  believed. 


172  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

"We  have  heard  enough !"  suddenly  exclaimed 
the  admiral.  "The  evidence  against  you  is  over- 
whelming— er — what  you  Americans  call  conclth 
sive,"  and  he  was  speaking  then  in  broken  Eng- 
lish. "I  find  you  guilty,  and  the  sentence  of  this 
court-martial  is  that  you  be  shot  at  sunrise,  three 
days  hence!" 

"Shot !"  cried  Captain  Weston,  staggering  back 
at  this  unexpected  sentence.  His  companions 
turned  white,  and  Mr.  Swift  leaned  against  his 
son  for  support. 

"Bless  my  stars!  Of  all  the  scoundrelly " 

began  Mr.  Damon. 

"Silenceo!"  shouted  the  lieutenant,  waving  his 
sword. 

"You  will  be  shot,"  proceeded  the  admiral.  "Is 
not  that  the  verdict  of  the  honorable  court?"  he 
asked,  looking  at  his  fellow  officers.  They  all 
nodded  gravely. 

"But  look  here!"  objected  Captain  Weston. 
"You  don't  dare  do  that !  We  are  citizens  of  the 
United  States,  and " 

"I  consider  you  no  better  than  pirates,"  inter- 
rupted the  admiral.  "You  have  an  armed  sub- 
marine— a  s'.omarine  with  torpedo  tubes.  You 
invade  oir  harbor  with  it,  and  come  up  almost 
under  my  ship.  You  have  forfeited  your  right 
to  the  protection  of  your  country,  and  I  have  no 


DOOMED  TO  DEATH  173 

fear  on  that  score.  You  will  be  shot  within  three 
days.  That  is  all.  Remove  the  prisoners." 

Protests  were  in  vain,  and  it  was  equally  use- 
less to  struggle.  The  prisoners  were  taken  out 
on  deck,  for  which  they  were  thankful,  for  the 
interior  of  the  ship  was  close  and  hot,  the  weather 
being  intensely  disagreeable.  They  were  told  to 
keep  within  a  certain  space  on  deck,  and  a  guard 
of  sailors,  all  armed,  was  placed  near  them.  From 
where  they  were  they  could  see  their  submarine 
floating  on  the  surface  of  the  little  bay,  with  sev- 
eral Brazilians  on  the  small  deck.  The  Advance 
had  been  anchored,  and  was  surrounded  by  a 
flotilla  of  the  native  boats,  the  brown-skinned 
paddlers  gazing  curiously  at  the  odd  craft. 

"Well,  this  is  tough  luck!"  murmured  Tom. 
"How  do  you  feel,  dad?" 

"As  well  as  can  be  expected  under  the  cir- 
cumstances," was  the  reply.  "What  do  you  think 
about  this,  Captain  Weston  ?" 

"Not  very  much,  if  I  may  be  allowed  the  ex- 
pression," was  the  answer. 

"Do  you  think  they  will  dare  carry  out  that 
threat?"  asked  Mr.  charp. 

The  captain  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "I  hope 
it  is  only  a  bluff,"  he  replied,  "made  to  scare  us 
so  we  will  consent  to  giving  up  the  submarine, 
which  they  have  no  right  to  confiscate.  But  these 


174  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

fellows  look  ugly  enough  for  anything,"  he  went 
on. 

"Then  if  there's  any  chance  of  them  attempting 
to  carry  it  out,"  spoke  Tom,  "we've  got  to  do 
something." 

"Bless  my  gizzard,  of  course!"  exclaimed  Mr. 
Damon.  "But  what?  That's  the  question.  To 
be  shot!  Why,  that's  a  terrible  threat!  The 
villains " 

"Silenceo!"  shouted  Lieutenant  Drascalo,  com- 
ing up  at  that  moment. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

THE   ESCAPE 

EVENTS  had  happened  so  quickly  that  day  that 
the  gold-hunters  could  scarcely  comprehend  them. 
It  seemed  only  a  short  time  since  Mr.  Swift  had 
been  discovered  lying  disabled  on  the  dynamo,  and 
what  had  transpired  since  seemed  to  have  taken 
place  in  a  few  minutes,  though  it  was,  in  reality, 
several  hours.  This  was  made  manifest  by  the 
feeling  of  hunger  on  the  part  of  Tom  and  his 
friends. 

"I  wonder  if  they're  going  to  starve  us,  the 
scoundrels?"  asked  Mr.  Sharp,  when  the  irate 
lieutenant  was  beyond  hearing.  "It's  not  fair  to 
make  us  go  hungry  and  shoot  us  in  the  bargain." 

"That's  so,  they  ought  to  feed  us,"  put  in  Tom. 
As  yet  neither  he  nor  the  others  fully  realized 
the  meaning  of  the  sentence  passed  on  them. 

From  where  they  were  on  deck  they  could  look 
off  to  the  little  island.  From  it  boats  manned  by 
natives  were  constantly  putting  off,  bringing  sup- 
175 


176  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

plies  to  the  ship.  The  place  appeared  to  be  a  sort 
of  calling  station  for  Brazilian  warships,  where 
they  could  get  fresh  water  and  fruit  and  other 
food. 

From  the  island  the  gaze  of  the  adventurers 
wandered  to  the  submarine,  which  lay  not  far 
away.  They  were  chagrined  to  see  several  of 
the  bolder  natives  clambering  over  the  deck. 

"I  hope  they  keep  out  of  the  interior,"  com- 
mented Tom.  "If  they  get  to  pulling  or  hauling 
on  the  levers  and  wheels  they  may  open  the  tanks 
and  sink  her,  with  the  conning  tower  open." 

"Better  that,  perhaps,  than  to  have  her  fall 
into  the  hands  of  a  foreign  power,"  commented 
Captain  Weston.  "Besides,  I  don't  see  that  it's 
going  to  matter  much  to  us  what  becomes  of  her 
after  we're " 

He  did  not  finish,  but  every  one  knew  what 
he  meant,  and  a  grim  silence  fell  upon  the  little 
group. 

There  came  a  welcome  diversion,  however,  in 
the  shape  of  three  sailors,  bearing  trays  of  food, 
which  were  placed  on  the  deck  in  front  of  the 
prisoners,  who  were  sitting  or  lying  in  the  shade 
of  an  awning,  for  the  sun  was  very  hot. 

"Ha!  Bless  my  napkin-ring!"  cried  Mr. 
Damon  with  something  of  his  former  gaiety. 


THE  ESCAPE  1775 

"Here's  a  meal,  at  all  events.    They  don't  intend 
to  starve  us.     Eat  hearty,  every  one." 

"Yes,  we  need  to  keep  up  our  strength/'  ob-' 
served  Captain  Weston. 

"Why?"  inquired  Mr.  Sharp. 

"Because  we're  going  to  try  to  escape!"  ex- 
claimed Tom  in  a  low  voice,  when  the  sailors  who 
had  brought  the  food  had  gone.  "Isn't  that  what 
you  mean,  captain  ?" 

"Exactly.  We'll  try  to  give  these  villains  the 
slip,  and  we'll  need  all  our  strength  and  wits  to 
do  it.  We'll  wait  until  night,  and  see  what  we 
can  do." 

"But  where  will  we  escape  to?"  asked  Mr. 
Swift.  "The  island  will  afford  no  shelter, 
and " 

"No,  but  our  submarine  will,"  went  on  the 
sailor. 

"It's  in  the  possession  of  the  Brazilians,"  ob- 
jected Tom. 

"Once  I  get  aboard  the  Advance  twenty  of 
those  brown-skinned  villains  won't  keep  me  pris- 
oner," declared  Captain  Weston  fiercely.  "If  we 
can  only  slip  away  from  here,  get  into  the  small 
boat,  or  even  swim  to  the  submarine,  I'll  make 
those  chaps  on  board  her  think  a  hurricane  has 
broken  loose." 

"Yes,  and  I'll  help,"  said  Mr.  Damoti. 


178  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

"And  I,"  added  Tom  and  the  balloonist. 

"That's  the  way  to  talk,"  commented  the  cap- 
tain. "Now  let's  eat,  for  I  see  that  rascally  lieu- 
tenant coming  this  way,  and  we  mustn't  appear 
to  be  plotting,  or  he'll  be  suspicious." 

The  day  passed  slowly,  and  though  the  pris- 
oners seemed  to  be  allowed  considerable  liberty, 
they  soon  found  that  it  was  only  apparent.  Once 
Tom  walked  some  distance  from  that  portion  of 
the  deck  where  he  and  the  others  had  been  told 
to  remain.  A  sailor  with  a  gun  at  once  ordered 
him  back.  Nor  could  they  approach  the  rails  with- 
ovt  being  directed,  harshly  enough  at  times,  to 
move  back  amidships. 

As  night  approached  the  gold-seekers  were  on 
th?  alert  for  any  chance  that  might  offer  to  slip 
away,  or  even  attack  their  guard,  but  the  num- 
ber of  Brazilians  around  them  was  doubled  in 
the  evening,  and  after  supper,  which  was  served 
to  them  on  deck  by  the  light  of  swinging  lanterns, 
they  were  taken  below  and  locked  in  a  stuffy 
cabin.  They  looked  helplessly  at  each  other. 

"Don't  give  up,"  advised  Captain  Weston.  "It's 
a  Jong  night.  We  may  be  able  to  get  out  of  here." 

But  this  hope  was  in  vain.  Several  times  he 
and  Tom,  thinking  the  guards  outside  the  cabin 
were  asleep,  tried  to  force  the  lock  of  the  door 
with  their  pocket-knives,  which  had  not  bem 


THE  ESCAPE  179 

taken  from  them.  But  one  of  the  sailors  was 
aroused  each  time  by  the  noise,  and  looked  in 
through  a  barred  window,  so  they  had  to  give 
it  up.  Slowly  the  night  passed,  and  morning 
found  the  prisoners  pale,  tired  and  discouraged. 
They  were  brought  up  on  deck  again,  for  which 
they  were  thankful,  as  in  that  tropical  climate  it 
was  stifling  below. 

During  the  day  they  saw  Admiral  Fanchetti 
and  several  of  his  officers  pay  a  visit  to  the  sub- 
marine. They  went  below  through  the  opened 
conning  tower,  and  were  gone  some  time. 

"I  hope  they  don't  disturb  any  of  the  ma- 
chinery," remarked  Mr.  Swift.  "That  could 
easily  do  great  damage." 

Admiral  Fanchetti  seemed  much  pleased  with 
himself  when  he  returned  from  his  visit  to  the 
submarine. 

"You  have  a  fine  craft,"  he  said  to  the  prisoners. 
"Or,  rather,  you  had  one.  My  government  now 
owns  it.  It  seems  a  pity  to  shoot  such  good  boat 
builders,  but  you  are  too  dangerous  to  be  allowed 
to  go." 

If  there  had  been  any  doubt  in  the  minds  of 
Tom  and  his  friends  that  the  sentence  of  the 
court-martial  was  only  for  effect,  it  was  dispelled 
that  day.  A  firing  squad  was  told  off  in  plain 
view  of  them,  and  the  men  were  put  through  their 


l8o  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

evolutions  by  Lieutenant  Drascalo,  who  had  them 
load,  aim  and  fire  blank  cartridges  at  an  imagi- 
nary line  of  prisoners.  Tom  could  not  repress  a 
shudder  as  he  noted  the  leveled  rifles,  and  saw 
the  fire  and  smoke  spurt  from  the  muzzles. 

"Thus  we  shall  do  to  you  at  sunrise  to-mor- 
row," said  the  liteutenant,  grinning,  as  he  once 
more  had  his  men  practice  their  grim  work. 

It  seemed  hotter  than  ever  that  day.  The  sun 
was  fairly  broiling,  and  there  was  a  curious  hazi- 
ness and  stillness  to  the  air.  It  was  noticed  that 
the  sailors  on  the  San  Paulo  were  busy  making 
fast  all  loose  articles  on  deck  with  extra  lashings, 
and  hatch  coverings  were  doubly  secured. 

"What  do  you  suppose  they  are  up  to?"  asked 
Tom  of  Captain  Weston. 

"I  think  it  is  coming  on  to  blow,"  he  replied, 
"and  they  don't  want  to  be  caught  napping.  They 
have  fearful  storms  down  in  this  region  at  this 
season  of  the  year,  and  I  think  one  is  about  due." 

"I  hope  it  doesn't  wreck  the  submarine,"  spoke 
Mr.  Swift.  "They  ought  to  close  the  hatch  of 
the  conning  tower,  for  it  won't  take  much  of  a 
sea  to  make  her  ship  considerable  water." 

Admiral  Fanchetti  had  thought  of  this,  how- 
ever, and  as  the  afternoon  wore  away  and  the 
storm  signs  multiplied,  he  sent  word  to  close  the 


THE  ESCAPE  l8l 

submarine.     He  left  a  few  sailors  aboard  inside 
on  guard. 

"It's  too  hot  to  eat,"  observed  Tom,  when 
their  supper  had  been  brought  to  them,  and  the 
others  felt  the  same  way  about  it.  They  man- 
aged to  drink  some  cocoanut  milk,  prepared  in  a 
palatable  fashion  by  the  natives  of  the  island,  and 
then,  much  to  their  disgust,  they  were  taken  be- 
low again  and  locked  in  the  cabin. 

"Whew !  But  it  certainly  is  hot !"  exclaimed  Mr. 
Damon  as  he  sat  down  on  a  couch  and  fanned 
himself.  "This  is  awful !" 

"Yes,  something  is  going  to  happen  pretty 
soon,"  observed  Captain  Weston.  "The  storm 
will  break  shortly,  I  think." 

They  sat  languidly  about  the  cabin.  It  was  so 
oppressive  that  even  the  thought  of  the  doom 
that  awaited  them  in  the  morning  could  hardly 
seem  worse  than  the  terrible  heat.  They  could 
hear  movements  going  on  about  the  ship,  move- 
ments which  indicated  that  preparations  were  be- 
ing made  for  something  unusual.  There  was  a 
rattling  of  a  chain  through  a  hawse  hole,  and 
Captain  Weston  remarked: 

"They're  putting  down  another  anchor.  Ad- 
miral Fanchetti  had  better  get  away  from  the 
island,  though,  unless  he  wants  to  be  wrecked. 
He'll  be  blown  ashore  in  less  than  no  time.  No 


182  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

cable  or  chain  will  hold  in  such  storms  as  they 
have  here." 

There  came  a  period  of  silence,  which  was  sud- 
denly broken  by  a  howl  as  of  some  wild  beast. 

"What's  that?"  cried  Tom,  springing  up  from 
where  he  was  stretched  out  on  the  cabin  floor. 

"Only  the  wind,"  replied  the  captain.  "The 
Storm  has  arrived." 

The  howling  kept  up,  and  soon  the  ship  began 
to  rock.  The  wind  increased,  and  a  little  later 
there  could  be  heard,  through  an  opened  port  in 
the  prisoners'  cabin,  the  dash  of  rain. 

"It's  a  regular  hurricane!"  exclaimed  the  cap- 
tain. "I  wonder  if  the  cables  will  hold?" 

"What  about  the  submarine?"  asked  Mr.  Swift 
anxiously. 

"I  haven't  much  fear  for  her.  She  lies  so  low 
in  the  water  that  the  wind  can't  get  much  hold 
on  her.  I  don't  believe  she'll  drag  her  anchor." 

Once  more  came  a  fierce  burst  of  wind,  and  a 
dash  of  rain,  and  then,  suddenly  above  the  out- 
burst of  the  elements,  there  sounded  a  crash  on 
deck.  It  was  followed  by  excited  cries. 

"Something's  happened!"  yelled  Tom.  The1 
prisoners  gathered  in  a  frightened  group  in  the 
middle  of  the  cabin.  The  cries  were  repeated,  and 
then  came  a  rush  of  feet  just  outside  the  cabin 
door. 


THE  ESCAPE  183 

"Our  guards !    They're  leaving !"  shouted  Tom. 

"Right !"  exclaimed  Captain  Weston.  "Now's 
our  chance !  Come  on !  If  we're  going  to  escape 
we  must  do  it  while  the  storm  is  at  its  height,  and 
all  is  in  confusion.  Come  on!" 

Tom  tried  the  door.    It  was  locked. 

"One  side!"  shouted  the  captain,  and  this  time 
he  did  not  pause  to  say  "by  your  leave."  He  came 
at  the  portal  on  the  run,  and  his  shoulder  struck 
it  squarely.  There  was  a  splintering  and  crash- 
ing of  wood,  and  the  door  was  burst  open. 

"Follow  me !"  cried  the  valiant  sailor,  and  Tom 
and  the  others  rushed  after  him.  They  could  hear 
the  wind  howling  more  loudly  than  ever,  and  as 
they  reached  the  deck  the  rain  dashed  into  their 
faces  with  such  violence  that  they  could  hardly 
see.  But  they  were  aware  that  something  had 
occurred.  By  the  light  of  several  lanterns  sway- 
ing in  the  terrific  blast  they  saw  that  one  of  the 
auxiliary  masts  had  broken  off  near  the  deck. 

It  had  fallen  against  the  chart  house,  smashing 
it,  and  a  number  of  sailors  were  laboring  to  clear 
away  the  wreckage. 

"Fortune  favors  us!"  cried ' Captain  Weston. 
"Come  on !  Make  for  the  small  boat.  It's  near 
the  side  ladder.  W*'U  lower  the  boat  and  pull 
to  the  submarine." 


184  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

There  came  a  flash  of  lightning,  and  in  its  glare 
(Tom  saw  something  that  caused  him  to  cry  out. 

'Took!"  he  shouted.  "The  submarine.  She's 
dragged  her  anchors!" 

The  Advance  was  much  closer  to  the  warship 
than  she  had  been  that  afternoon.  Captain  Weston 
looked  over  the  side. 

"It's  the  San  Paulo  that's  dragging  her  an- 
chors, not  the  submarine!"  he  shouted.  "We're 
bearing  down  on  her!  We  must  act  quickly. 
Come  on,  we'll  lower  the  boat !" 

In  the  rush  of  wind  and  the  dash  of  rain  the 
prisoners  crowded  to  the  accommodation  com- 
panion ladder,  which  was  still  over  the  side  of 
the  big  ship.  No  one  seemed  to  be  noticing  them, 
for  Admiral  Fanchetti  was  on  the  bridge,  yelling 
orders  for  the  clearing  away  of  the  wreckage. 
But  Lieutenant  Drascalo,  coming  up  from  below 
at  that  moment,  caught  sight  of  the  fleeing  ones. 
Drawing  his  sword,  he  rushed  at  them,  shouting : 

"The  prisoners !  The  prisoners !  They  are  es- 
caping !" 

Captain  Weston  leaped  toward  the  lieutenant 

"Look  out  for  his  sword!"  cried  Tom.  But 
the  doughty  sailor  did  not  fear  the  weapon. 
Catching  up  a  coil  of  rope,  he  cast  it  at  the  lieu- 
tenant. It  struck  him  in  the  chest,  and  he  stag- 
gered back,  lowering  his  sword. 


THE  ESCAPE  185 

Captain  Weston  leaped  forward,  and  with  a 
terrific  blow  sent  Lieutenant  Drascalo  to  the  deck. 

"There !"  cried  the  sailor.  "I  guess  you  won't 
/ell  'Silenceo !'  for  a  while  now." 

There  was  a  rush  of  Brazilians  toward  the 
group  of  prisoners.  Tom  caught  one  with  a  blow 
on  the  chin,  and  felled  him,  while  Captain  Weston 
disposed  of  two  more,  and  Mr.  Sharp  and  Mr. 
Damon  one  each.  The  savage  fighting  of  the 
Americans  was  too  much  for  the  foreigners,  and 
they  drew  back. 

"Come  on!"  cried  Captain  Weston  again. 
"The  storm  is  getting  worse.  The  warship  will 
crash  into  the  submarine  in  a  few  minutes.  Her 
anchors  aren't  holding.  I  didn't  think  they 
would." 

He  made  a  dash  for  the  ladder,  and  a  glance 
showed  him  that  the  small  boat  was  in  the  water 
at  the  foot  of  it.  The  craft  had  not  been  hoisted 
on  the  davits. 

"Luck's  with  us  at  last !"  cried  Tom,  seeing  it 
also.  "Shall  I  help  you,  dad?" 

"No;  I  think  I'm  all  right.    Go  ahead." 

There  came  such  a  gust  of  wind  that  the  Son 
'Paulo  was  heeled  over,  and  the  wreck  of  the  mast, 
rolling  about,  crashed  into  the  side  of  a  deck  house, 
splintering  it.  A  crowd  of  sailors,  led  by  Admiral 
Fanchetti,  who  were  again  rushing  on  the  escag- 


J86  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

mg  prisoners,  had  to  leap  back  out  of  the  way  of 
the  rolling  mast. 

"Catch  them!  Don't  let  them  get  away!" 
begged  the  commander,  but  the  sailors  evidently 
had  no  desire  to  close  in  with  the  Americans. 

Through  the  rush  of  wind  and  rain  Tom  and 
his  friends  staggered  down  the  ladder.  It  was 
hard  work  to  maintain  one's  footing,  but  they 
managed  it.  On  account  of  the  high  side  of  the 
ship  the  water  was  comparatively  calm  under  her 
lee,  and,  though  the  small  boat  was  bobbing  about, 
they  got  aboard.  The  oars  were  in  place,  and 
in  another  moment  they  had  shoved  off  from  the 
landing  stage  which  formed  the  foot  of  the  ac- 
commodation ladder. 

"Now  for  the  Advance!"  murmured  Captain 
iWeston. 

"Come  back !  Come  back,  dogs  of  Americans !" 
cried  a  voice  at  the  rail  over  their  heads,  and  look- 
ing up,  Tom  saw  Lieutenant  Drascalo.  He  had 
snatched  a  carbine  from  a  marine,  and  was  point- 
,ing  it  at  the  recent  prisoners.  He  fired,  the  flash 
of  the  gun  and  a  dazzling  chain  of  lightning  com- 
ing together.  The  thunder  swallowed  up  the 
report  of  the  carbine,  but  the  bullet  whistled  un- 
comfortable close  to  Tom's  head.  The  blackness 
that  followed  the  lightning  shut  out  the  view  of 
everything  for  a  few  seconds,  and  when  the  next 


THE  ESCAPE  287 

flash  came  the  adventurers  saw  that  they  were 
close  to  their  submarine. 

A  fusilade  of  shots  sounded  from  the  deck  of 
the  warship,  but  as  the  marines  were  poor  marks- 
men  at  best,  and  as  the  swaying  of  the  ship  dis- 
concerted them,  our  friends  were  in  little  danger. 

There  was  quite  a  sea  once  they  were  beyond 
the  protection  of  the  side  of  the  warship,  but 
Captain  Weston,  who  was  rowing,  knew  how  to 
manage  a  boat  skilfully,  and  he  soon  had  the  craft 
alongside  the  bobbing  submarine. 

"Get  aboard,  now,  quick !"  he  cried. 

They  leaped  to  the  small  deck,  casting  the  row- 
boat  adrift.  It  was  the  work  of  but  a  moment 
to  open  the  conning  tower.  As  they  started  to 
descend  they  were  met  by  several  Brizilians  com- 
ing up. 

"Overboard  with  'em !"  yelled  the  captain.  "Let 
them  swim  ashore  or  to  their  ship !" 

With  almost  superhuman  strength  he  tossed 
one  big  sailor  from  the  small  deck.  Another 
showed  fight,  but  he  went  to  join  his  companion 
in  the  swirling  water.  A  man  rushed  at  Tom, 
seeking  the  while  to  draw  his  sword,  but  the 
young  inventor,  with  a  neat  left-hander,  sent  him 
to  join  the  other  two,  and  the  remainder  did  not 
wait  to  try  conclusions.  They  leaped  for  their 
lives,  and  soon  all  could  be  seen,  in  the  frequent 


lS8  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

lightning  flashes,  swimming  toward  the  warship 
which  was  now  closer  than  ever  to  the  submarine, 

"Get  inside  and  we'll  sink  below  the  surface !" 
called  Tom.  "Then  we  don't  care  what  hap- 
pens." 

They  closed  the  steel  door  of  the  conning 
tower.  As  they  did  so  they  heard  the  patter  of 
bullets  from  carbines  fired  from  the  San  Paulo. 
Then  came  a  violent  tossing  of  the  Advance;  the 
waves  were  becoming  higher  as  they  caught  the 
full  force  of  the  hurricane.  It  took  but  an  in- 
stant to  sever,  from  within,  the  cable  attached 
to  the  anchor,  which  was  one  belonging  to  the 
warship.  The  Advance  began  drifting. 

"Open  the  tanks,  Mr.  Sharp!"  cried  Tom. 
"Captain  Weston  and  I  will  steer.  Once  below 
we'll  start  the  engines." 

Amid  a  crash  of  thunder  and  dazzling  flashes  of 
lightning,  the  submarine  began  to  sink.  Tom,  in 
the  conning  tower  had  a  sight  of  the  San  Paulo 
as  it  drifted  nearer  and  nearer  under  the  influence 
of  the  mighty  wind.  As  one  bright  flash  came 
he  saw  Admiral  Fanchetti  and  Lieutenant  Dras- 
calo  leaning  over  the  rail  and  gazing  at  the 
"Advance. 

A  moment  later  the  view  faded  from  sight  as 
the  submarine  sank  below  the  surface  of  the 
troubled  sea.  She  was  tossed  about  for  some 


THE  ESCAPE  189 

time  until  deep  enough  to  escape  the  surface  mo- 
tion. Waiting  until  she  was  far  enough  down 
so  that  her  lights  would  not  offer  a  mark  for 
the  guns  of  the  warship,  the  electrics  were 
switched  on. 

"We're  safe  now!"  cried  Tom,  helping  his 
father  to  his  cabin.  "They've  got  too  much  to 
attend  to  themselves  to  follow  us  now,  even  if 
they  could.  Shall  we  go  ahead,  Captain  Weston?" 

"I  think  so,  yes,  if  I  may  be  allowed  to  express 
my  opinion,"  was  the  mild  reply,  in  strange  con- 
trast to  the  strenuous  work  in  which  the  captain 
had  just  been  engaged. 

Tom  signaled  to  Mr.  Sharp  in  the  engine-room, 
and  in  a  few  seconds  the  Advance  was  speeding 
away  from  the  island  and  the  hostile  vessel.  Nor, 
deep  as  she  was  now,  was  there  any  sign  of  the 
hurricane.  In  the  peaceful  depths  she  was  once 
more  speeding  toward  the  sunken  treasure. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

AT  THE  WRECK 

"WELL,"  remarked  Mr.  Damon,  as  the  sub- 
marine hurled  herself  forward  through  the  ocean, 
"I  guess  that  firing  party  will  have  something 
else  to  do  to-morrow  morning  besides  aiming 
those  rifles  at  us." 

"Yes,  indeed,"  agreed  Tom.  "They'll  be  lucky 
if  they  save  their  ship.  My,  how  that  wind  did 
blow!" 

"You're  right,"  put  in  Captain  Weston. 
"When  they  get  a  hurricane  down  in  this  region 
it's  no  cat's  paw.  But  they  were  a  mighty  care- 
less lot  of  sailors.  The  idea  of  leaving  the  ladder 
over  the  side,  and  the  boat  in  the  water." 

"It  was  a  good  thing  for  us,  though,"  was 
Tom's  opinion. 

"Indeed  it  was,"  came  from  the  captain.  "But 
as  long  as  we  are  safe  now  I  think  we'd  better 
take  a  look  about  the  craft  to  see  if  those  chaps 
did  any  damage.  They  can't  have  done  much, 

190 


AT  THE  WRECK  191 

though,  or  she  wouldn't  be  running  so  smoothly. 
Suppose  you  go  take  a  look,  Tom,  and  ask  your 
father  and  Mr.  Sharp  what  they  think.  I'll  steer 
for  a  while,  until  we  get  well  away  from  the 
island." 

The  young  inventor  found  his  father  and  the 
balloonist  busy  in  the  engine-room.  Mr.  Swift 
had  already  begun  an  inspection  of  the  machinery, 
and  so  far  found  that  it  had  not  been  injured. 
A  further  inspection  showed  that  no  damage  had 
been  done  by  the  foreign  guard  that  had  been 
in  temporary  possession  of  the  Advance,  though 
the  sailors  had  made  free  in  the  cabins,  and  had 
broken  into  the  food  lockers,  helping  themselves 
plentifully.  But  there  was  still  enough  for  the 
gold-seekers. 

"You'd  never  know  there  was  a  storm  raging 
up  above,"  observed  Tom  as  he  rejoined  Captain 
Weston  in  the  lower  pilot  house,  where  he  was 
managing  the  craft.  "It's  as  still  and  peaceful 
here  as  one  could  wish." 

"Yes,  the  extreme  depths  are  seldom  disturbed 
by  a  surface  storm.  But  we  are  over  a  mile  deep 
now.  I  sent  her  down  a  little  while  you  were 
gone,  as  I  think  she  rides  a  little  more  steadily. 

All  that  night  they  speeded  forward,  and  the 
next  day,  rising  to  the  surface  to  take  an  observa- 
tion, they  found  no  traces  of  the  storm,  which 


192  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

had  blown  itself  out.  They  were  several  hundred 
miles  away  from  the  hostile  warship,  and  there 
was  not  a  vessel  in  sight  on  the  broad  expanse 
of  blue  ocean. 

The  air  tanks  were  refilled,  and  after  sailiwg 
along  on  the  surface  for  an  hour  or  two,  the  sub- 
marine was  again  sent  below,  as  Captain  Weston 
sighted  through  his  telescope  the  smoke  of  a 
distant  steamer. 

"As  long  as  it  isn't  tHe  Wonder,  we're  all 
right,"  said  Tom.  "Still,  we  don't  want  to  answer 
a  lot  of  questions  about  ourselves  and  our  object." 

"No.  I  fancy  the  Wonder  will  give  up  the 
search,"  remarked  the  captain,  as  the  Advance 
was  sinking  to  the  depths. 

"We  must  be  getting  pretty  near  to  the  end 
of  our  search  ourselves,"  ventured  the  young  in- 
ventor. 

"We  are  within  five  hundred  miles  of  the  in- 
tersection of  the  forty-fifth  parallel  and  the 
twenty-seventh  meridian,  east  from  Washington," 
said  the  captain.  "That's  as  near  as  I  could  locate 
the  wreck.  Once  we  reach  that  point  we  will  have 
to  search  about  under  water,  for  I  don't  fancy 
the  other  divers  left  any  buoys  to  mark  the  spot." 

It  was  two  days  later,  after  uneventful  sailing, 
partly  on  the  surface,  and  partly  submerged,  that 


AT  THE  WRECK  193 

Captain  Weston,  taking  a  noon  observation,  an* 
nounced : 

"Well,  we're  here!" 

"Do  you  mean  at  the  wreck  ?"  asked  Mr.  Swift 
eagerly. 

"We're  at  the  place  where  she  is  supposed  to 
lie,  in  about  two  miles  of  water,"  replied  the  cap- 
tain. "We  are  quite  a  distance  off  the  coast  of 
Uruguay,  about  opposite  the  harbor  of  Rio  dc 
La  Plata.  From  now  on  we  shall  have  to  nose 
about  under  water,  and  trust  to  luck." 

With  her  air  tanks  filled  to  their  capacity,  and 
Tom  having  seen  that  the  oxygen  machine  and 
other  apparatus  was  in  perfect  working  ordeiv 
the  submarine  was  sent  below  on  her  search. 
Though  they  were  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
wreck,  the  adventurers  might  still  have  to  do  con- 
siderable searching  before  locating  it.  Lower  and 
lower  they  sank  into  the  depths  of  the  sea,  down 
and  down,  until  they  were  deeper  than  they  had 
ever  gone  before.  The  pressure  was  tremendous, 
but  the  steel  sides  of  the  Advance  withstood  it 

Then  began  a  search  that  lasted  nearly  a  week. 
Back  and  forth  they  cruised,  around  in  great 
circles,  with  the  powerful  searchlight  focused  to 
disclose  the  sunken  treasure  ship.  Once  Tom, 
who  was  observing  the  path  of  light  in  the  depths 
from  the  conning  tower,  thought  he  had  seeo  the 


194  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

remains  of  the  Boldero,  for  a  misty  shape  loomed 
up  in  front  of  the  submarine,  and  he  signaled  for 
a  quick  stop.  It  was  a  wreck,  but  it  had  been 
on  the  ocean  bed  for  a  score  of  years,  and  only 
a  few  timbers  remained  of  what  had  been  a  great 
ship.  Much  disappointed,  Tom  rang  for  full 
speed  ahead  again,  and  the  current  was  sent  into 
the  great  electric  plates  that  pulled  and  pushed  the 
submarine  forward. 

For  two  days  more  nothing  happened.  They 
searched  around  under  the  green  waters,  on  the 
alert  for  the  first  sign,  but  they  saw  nothing. 
Great  fish  swam  about  them,  sometimes  racing 
With  the  Advance.  The  adventurers  beheld  great 
ocean  caverns,  and  skirted  immense  rocks,  where 
dwelt  monsters  of  the  deep.  Once  a  great  octupus 
tried  to  do  battle  with  the  submarine  and  crush  it 
in  its  snaky  arms,  but  Tom  saw  the  great  white 
body,  with  saucer-shaped  eyes,  in  the  path  of  light 
and  rammed  him  with  the  steel  point.  The  crea- 
ture died  after  a  struggle. 

They  were  beginning  to  despair  when  a  full 
week  had  passed  and  they  were  seemingly  as  far 
from  the  wreck  as  ever.  They  went  to  the  sur- 
face to  enable  Captain  Weston  to  take  another 
observation.  It  only  confirmed  the  other,  and 
showed  that  they  were  in  the  right  vicinity.  But 
it  was  like  looking  for  a  needle  in  a  haystack, 


'AT  THE  WRECK  195 

almost,  to  Snd  the  snnken  ship  in  that  depth  of 
water. 

"Well,  we'll  try  again,"  said  Mr.  Swift,  as  the# 
sank  once  more  beneath  the  surface. 

It  was  toward  evening,  on  the  second  day  after 
this,  that  Tom,  who  was  on  duty  in  the  conning 
tower,  saw  a  black  shape  looming  up  in  front  of 
the  submarine,  the  searchlight  revealing  it  to  him 
far  enough  away  so  that  he  could  steer  to  avoid 
it.  He  thought  at  first  that  it  was  a  great  rock, 
for  they  were  moving  along  near  the  bottom,  but 
the  peculiar  shape  of  it  soon  convinced  him  that 
this  could  not  be.  It  came  more  plainly  into 
view  as  the  submarine  approached  it  more  slowly, 
then  suddenly,  out  of  the  depths  in  the  illumina- 
tion from  the  searchlight,  the  young  inventor  saw 
the  steel  sides  of  a  steamer.  His  heart  gave  at 
great  thump,  but  he  would  not  call  out  yet,  fear- 
ing that  it  might  be  some  other  vessel  than  the 
one  containing  the  treasure. 

He  steered  the  Advance  so  as  to  circle  it.  As 
he  swept  past  the  bows  he  saw  in  big  letters  near 
the  sharp  prow  the  word,  Boldero. 

"The  wreck !  The  wreck !"  he  cried,  his  voice 
ringing  through  the  craft  from  end  to  end. 
"We've  found  the  wreck  at  last!" 

"Are  you  sure?"  cried  his  father,  hurrying  to 
his  son,  Captain  Weston  following. 


196  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

"Positive,"  answered  the  lad.  The  submarine 
was  slowing  up  now,  and  Tom  sent  her  around 
on  the  other  side.  They  had  a  good  view  of  the 
^sunken  ship.  It  seemed  to  be  intact,  no  gaping 
holes  in  her  sides,  for  only  her  plates  had  started, 
allowing  her  to  sink  gradually. 

"At  last,"  murmured  Mr.  Swift.  "Can  it  be 
possible  we  are  about  to  get  the  treasure?" 

"That's  the  Boldero,  all  right,"  affirmed  Cap- 
tain Weston.  "I  recognize  her,  even  if  the  name 
wasn't  on  her  bow.  Go  right  down  on  the  bottom, 
Tom,  and  we'll  get  out  the  diving  suits  and  make 
an  examination." 

The  submarine  settled  to  the  ocean  bed.  Tom 
glanced  at  the  depth  gage.  It  showed  over  two 
miles  and  a  half.  Would  they  be  able  to  venture 
out  into  water  of  such  enormous  pressure  in  the 
eomparatively  frail  diving  suits,  and  wrest  the 
gold  from  the  wreck?  It  was  a  serious  question. 

The  Advance  came  to  a  stop.  In  front  of  her 
loomed  the  great  bulk  of  the  Boldero,  vague  and 
shadowy  in  the  flickering  gleam  of  the  searchlight 
As  the  gold-seekers  looked  at  hc-r  through  the 
bull's-eyes  of  the  conning  tower,  several  great 
forms  emerged  from  beneath  the  wreck's  bows. 

"Deep-water  sharks!"  exclaimed  Captain 
Weston,  "and  monsters,  too.  But  they  can't 
bother  us.  Now  to  get  out  the  gold !" 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

ATTACKED  BY  SHARKS 

FOR  a  few  minutes  after  reaching  the  wreck, 
which  had  so  occupied  their  thoughts  for  the  past 
weeks,  the  adventurers  did  nothing  but  gaze  at 
it  from  the  ports  of  the  submarine.  The  appear- 
ance of  the  deep-water  sharks  gave  them  no  con- 
cern, for  they  did  not  imagine  the  ugly  creatures 
would  attack  them.  The  treasure-seekers  were 
more  engrossed  with  the  problem  of  getting  out 
the  gold. 

"How  are  we  going  to  get  at  it  ?"  asked  Tom, 
as  he  looked  at  the  high  sides  of  the  sunken  ship, 
which  towered  well  above  the  comparatively  small 
^Advance. 

"Why,  just  go  in  and  get  it,"  suggested  Mr. 
Damon.  "Where  is  gold  in  a  cargo  usually  kept, 
Captain  Weston?  You  ought  to  know,  I  should 
think.  Bless  my  pocketbook !" 

"Well,  I  should  say  that  in  this  case  the  bullion 
would  be  kept  in  a  safe  in  the  captain's  cabin," 
197 


ig8  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

replied  the  sailor.  "Or,  if  not  there,  in  some  after 
part  of  the  vessel,  away  from  where  the  crew  is 
quartered.  But  it  is  going  to  be  quite  a  problem 
to  get  at  it.  We  can't  climb  the  sides  of  the  wreck, 
and  it  will  be  impossible  to  lower  her  ladder  over 
the  side.  However,  I  think  we  had  better  get  into 
the  diving  suits  and  take  a  closer  look.  We  can 
walk  around  her." 

"That's  my  idea,"  put  in  Mr.  Sharp.  "But 
who  will  go,  and  who  will  stay  with  the  ship?" 

"I  think  Tom  and  Captain  Weston  had  better 
go,"  suggested  Mr.  Swift.  "Then,  in  case  any- 
thing happens,  Mr.  Sharp,  you  and  I  will  be  on 
board  to  manage  matters." 

"You  don't  think  anything  will  happen,  do  you, 
iiad  ?"  asked  his  son  with  a  laugh,  but  it  was  not 
an  easy  one,  for  the  lad  was  thinking  of  the  shad- 
owy forms  of  the  ugly  sharks. 

"Oh,  no,  but  it's  best  to  be  prepared,"  answered 
his  father. 

The  captain  and  the  young  inventor  lost  no  time 
in  donning  the  diving  suits.  They  each  took  a 
heavy  metal  bar,  pointed  at  one  end,  to  use  in  as- 
sisting them  to  walk  on  the  bed  of  the  ocean,  and 
as  a  protection  in  case  the  sharks  might  attack 
them.  Entering  the  diving  chamber,  they  were 
shut  in,  and  then  water  was  admitted  until  the 
pressure  was  seen,  by  gages,  to  be  the  same  as  that 


ATTACKED  BY  SHARKS  199 

outside  the  submarine.  Then  the  sliding  steel 
door  was  opened.  At  first  Tom  and  the  captain 
could  barely  move,  so  great  was  the  pressure  of 
water  on  their  bodies.  They  would  have  been 
Crushed  but  for  the  protection  afforded  by  the 
^strong  diving  suits. 

In  a  few  minutes  they  became  used  to  it,  and 
stepped  out  on  the  floor  of  the  ocean.  They  could 
not,  of  course,  speak  to  each  other,  but  Tom 
looked  through  the  glass  eyes  of  his  helmet  at 
the  captain,  and  the  latter  motioned  for  the  lad 
to  follow.  The  two  divers  could  breathe  perfect- 
ly, and  by  means  of  small,  but  powerful  lights  on 
the  helmets,  the  way  was  lighted  for  them  as  they 
advanced. 

Slowly  they  approached  the  wreck,  and  began 
a  circuit  of  her.  They  could  see  several  places 
where  the  pressure  of  the  water,  and  the  strain 
of  the  storm  in  which  she  had  foundered,  had 
opened  the  plates  of  the  ship,  but  in  no  case  were 
the  openings  large  enough  to  admit  a  person. 
Captain  Weston  put  his  steel  bar  in  one  crack, 
and  tried  to  pry  it  farther  open,  but  his  strength 
was  not  equal  to  the  task.  He  made  some  pe- 
culiar motions,  but  Tom  could  not  understand 
them. 

They  looked  for  some  means  by  which  they 
could  mount  to  the  decks  of  the  Eoldero,  but  none 


200  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

was  visible.  It  was  like  trying  to  scale  a  fifty- 
foot  smooth  steel  wall.  There  was  no  place  for 
a  foothold.  Again  the  sailor  made  some  peculiar 
motions,  and  the  lad  puzzled  over  them.  They 
had  gone  nearly  around  the  wreck  now,  and  as 
yet  had  seen  no  way  in  which  to  get  at  the  gold. 
As  they  passed  around  the  bow,  which  was  in  a 
deep  shadow  from  a  great  rock,  they  caught  sight 
of  the  submarine  lying  a  short  distance  away. 
Light  streamed  from  many  bull's-eyes,  and  Tom 
felt  a  sense  of  security  as  he  looked  at  her,  for  it 
was  lonesome  enough  in  that  great  depth  of  water, 
unable  to  speak  to  his  companion,  who  was  a  few 
feet  in  advance. 

Suddenly  there  was  a  swirling  of  the  water, 
and  Tom  was  nearly  thrown  off  his  feet  by  the 
rush  of  some  great  body.  A  long,  black  shadow 
passed  over  his  head,  and  an  instant  later  he  saw 
the  form  of  a  great  shark  launched  at  Captain 
Weston.  The  lad  involuntarily  cried  in  alarm, 
but  the  result  was  surprising.  He  was  nearly 
deafened  by  his  own  voice,  confined  as  the  sound 
was  in  the  helmet  he  wore.  But  the  sailor,  too, 
had  felt  the  movement  of  the  water,  and  turned 
just  in  time.  He  thrust  upward  with  his  pointed 
bar.  But  he  missed  the  stroke,  and  Tom,  a  mo^ 
ment  later,  saw  the  great  fish  turn  over  so  that 
its  mouth,  which  is  far  underneath  its  snout,  could 


ATTACKED  BY  SHARKS  2OI 

take  in  the  queer  shape  which  the  shark  evidently 
thought  was  a  choice  morsel.  The  big  fish  did 
actually  get  the  helmet  of  Captain  Weston  inside 
its  jaws,  but  probably  it  would  have  found  it 
impossible  to  crush  the  strong  steel.  Still  it  might 
have  sprung  the  joints,  and  water  would  have 
entered,  which  would  have  been  as  fatal  as  though 
the  sailor  had  been  swallowed  by  the  shark.  Tom 
realized  this  and,  moving  as  fast  as  he  could 
through  the  water,  he  came  up  behind  the  mon- 
ster and  drove  his  steel  bar  deep  into  it. 

The  sea  was  crimsoned  with  blood,  and  the 
savage  creature,  opening  its  mouth,  let  go  of  the 
captain.  It  turned  on  Tom,  who  again  harpooned 
it.  Then  the  fish  darted  off  and  began  a  wild 
flurry,  for  it  was  dying.  The  rush  of  water  near- 
ly threw  Tom  off  his  feet,  but  he  managed  to  make 
his  way  over  to  his  friend,  and  assist  him  to  rise. 
A  confident  look  from  the  sailor  showed  the  lad 
that  Captain  Weston  was  uninjured,  though  he 
must  have  been  frightened.  As  the  two  turned 
to  make  their  way  back  to  the  submarine,  the 
waters  about  them  seemed  alive  with  the  horrible 
monsters. 

It  needed  but  a  glance  to  show  what  they  were. 
Sharks!  Scores  of  them,  long,  black  ones,  with 
their  ugly,  undershot  mouths.  They  had  been  at- 
tracted by  the  blood  of  the  one  Tom  had  killed, 


202  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

but  there  was  not  a  meal  for  all  of  them  off  the 
dying  creature,  and  the  great  fish  might  turn  on 
the  young  inventor  and  his  companion. 

The  two  shrank  closer  toward  the  wreck.  They 
might  get  under  the  prow  of  that  and  be  safe. 
But  even  as  they  started  to  move,  several  of  the 
sea  wolves  darted  quickly  at  them.  Tom  glanced 
at  the  captain.  What  could  they  do  ?  Strong  as 
were  the  diving  suits,  a  combined  attack  by  the 
sharks,  with  their  powerful  jaws,  would  do  untold 
damage. 

At  that  moment  there  seemed  some  movement 
on  board  the  submarine.  Tom  could  see  his  fa- 
ther looking  from  the  conning  tower,  and  the 
aged  inventor  seemed  to  be  making  some  motions. 
Then  Tom  understood.  Mr.  Swift  was  direct- 
ing his  son  and  Captain  Weston  to  crouch  down. 
The  lad  did  so,  pulling  the  sailor  after  him.  Then 
Tom  saw  the  bow  electric  gun  run  out,  and  aimed 
at  the  mass  of  sharks,  most  of  whom  were  con- 
gregated about  the  dead  one.  Into  the  midst  of 
the  monsters  was  fired  a  number  of  small  pro- 
jectiles, which  could  be  used  in  the  electric  cannon 
in  place  of  the  solid  shot.  Once  more  the  waters 
were  red  with  blood,  and  those  sharks  which  were 
not  killed  swirled  off.  Tom  and  Captain  Weston 
were  saved.  They  were  soon  inside  the  submarine 
telling  their  thrilling  story. 


ATTACKED  BY  SHARKS  203 

"It's  lucky  you  saw  us,  dad,"  remarked  the  lad, 
blushing  at  the  praise  Mr.  Damon  bestowed  on 
him  for  killing  the  monster  which  had  attacked 
the  captain. 

"Oh,  I  was  on  the  lookout,"  said  the  inventor. 
"But  what  about  getting  into  the  wreck?" 

"I  think  the  only  way  we  can  do  it  will  be  to 
ram  a  hole  in  her  side,"  said  Captain  Weston. 
"That  was  what  I  tried  to  tell  Tom  by  motions, 
but  he  didn't  seem  to  understand  me." 

"No,"  replied  the  lad,  who  was  still  a  little 
nervous  from  his  recent  experience.  "I  thought 
you  meant  for  us  to  turn  it  over,  bottom  side  up,*? 
and  he  laughed. 

"Bless  my  gizzard!  Just  like  a  shark,"  com- 
mented Mr.  Damon. 

"Please  don't  mention  them,"  begged  Tom.  "I 
hope  we  don't  see  any  more  of  them." 

"Oh,  I  fancy  they  have  been  driven  far  enough 
away  from  this  neighborhood  now,"  commented 
the  captain.  "But  now  about  the  wreck.  We  may 
be  able  to  approach  it  from  above.  Suppose  we 
,try  to  lower  the  submarine  on  it  ?  That  will  save 
ripping  it  open." 

This  was  tried  a  little  later,  but  would  not 
work.  There  were  strong  currents  sweeping  over 
the  top  of  the  Boldero,  caused  by  a  submerged 
reef  near  which  she  had  settled.  It  was  a  delicate 


204  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

task  to  sink  the  submarine  on  her  decks,  and  witK 
the  deep  waters  swirling  about  was  found  to  be 
impossible,  even  with  the  use  of  the  electric  plates 
and  the  auxiliary  screws.  Once  more  the  Advance 
settled  to  the  ocean  bed,  near  the  wreck. 

"Well,  what's  to  be  done?"  asked  Tom,  as  he 
looked  at  the  high  steel  sides. 

"Ram  her,  tear  a  hole,  and  then  use  dynamite/* 
decided  Captain  Weston  promptly.  "You  have 
some  explosive,  haven't  you,  Mr.  Swift?" 

"Oh,  yes.    I  came  prepared  for  emergencies." 

"Then  we'll  blow  up  the  wreck  and  get  at  the 
gold." 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

RAMMING  THE  WRECK 

FITTED  with  a  long,  sharp  steel  ram  in  front, 
the  Advance  was  peculiarly  adapted  for  this  sort 
of  work.  In  designing  the  ship  this  ram  was  cal- 
culated to  be  used  against  hostile  vessels  in  war 
time,  for  the  submarine  was  at  first,  as  we  know, 
destined  for  a  Government  boat.  Now  the  ram 
was  to  serve  a  good  turn. 

To  make  sure  that  the  attempt  would  be  a  suc- 
cess, the  machinery  of  the  craft  was  carefully 
gone  over.  It  was  found  to  be  in  perfect  order, 
save  for  a  few  adjustments  which  were  needed. 
Then,  as  it  was  night,  though  there  was  no  differ- 
ence in  the  appearance  of  things  below  the  surface, 
it  was  decided  to  turn  in,  and  begin  work  in  the 
morning.  Nor  did  the  gold-seekers  go  to  the 
surface,  for  they  feared  they  might  encounter  a 
storm. 

"We  had  trouble  enough  locating  the  wreck," 

said  Captain  Weston,  "and  if  we  go  up  we  may 
205 


206  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

be  blown  off  our  course.  We  have  air  enough  to 
stay  below,  haven't  we,  Tom?" 

"Plenty,"  answered  the  lad,  looking  at  the 
gages. 

After  a  hearty  breakfast  the  next  morning, 
the  submarine  crew  got  ready  for  their  hard  task. 
The  craft  was  backed  away  as  far  as  was  prac- 
tical, and  then,  running  at  full  speed,  she  rammed 
the  wreck.  The  shock  was  terrific,  and  at  first 
it  was  feared  some  damage  had  been  done  to 
the  Advance,  but  she  stood  the  strain. 

"Did  we  open  up  much  of  a  hole?"  anxiously 
asked  Mr.  Swift. 

"Pretty  good,"  replied  Tom,  observing  it 
through  the  conning  tower  bull's-eyes,  when  the 
submarine  had  backed  off  again.  "Let's  give  her 
another." 

Once  more  the  great  steel  ram  hit  into  the  side 
j>f  the  Bolder 'o*  and  again  the  submarine  shivered 
from  the  shock.  But  there  was  a  bigger  hole  in 
the  wreck  now,  and  after  Captain  West  on  had 
viewed  it  he  decided  it  was  large  enough  to  allow 
a  person  to  enter  and  place  a  charge  of  dynamite 
so  that  the  treasure  ship  would  be  broken  up. 

Tom  and  the  captain  placed  the  explosive. 
Then  the  Advance  was  withdrawn  to  a  safe  dis- 
tance. There  was  a  dull  rumble,  a  great  swirl- 
ing of  the  water,  which  was  made  murky;  but 


RAMMING  THE  WRECK 

when  it  cleared,  and  the  submarine  went  back,  it 
was  seen  that  the  wreck  was  effectively  broken 
up.  It  was  in  two  parts,  each  one  easy  of  access. 

"That's  the  stuff!"  cried  Tom.  "Now  to  get 
at  the  gold !" 

"Yes,  get  out  the  diving  suits,"  added  Mr. 
Damon.  "Bless  my  watch-charm,  I  think  I'll 
chance  it  in  one  myself !  Do  you  think  the  sharks 
are  all  gone,  Caiptain  Weston?" 

"I  think  so." 

In  a  short  time  Tom,  the  captain,  Mr.  Sharp 
and  Mr.  Damon  were  attired  in  the  diving  suits, 
Mr.  Swift  not  caring  to  venture  into  such  a  great 
depth  of  water.  Besides,  it  was  necessary  for  at 
least  one  person  to  remain  in  the  submarine  te 
operate  the  diving  chamber. 

Walking  slowly  along  the  bottom  of  the  seat 
the  four  gold-seekers  approached  the  wreck.  They 
looked  on  all  sides  for  a  sight  of  the  sharks,  but 
the  monster  fish  seemed  to  have  deserted  that  part 
of  the  ocean.  Tom  was  the  first  to  reach  the  now 
disrupted  steamer.  He  found  he  could  easily 
climb  up,  for  boxes  and  barrels  from  the  cargo 
holds  were  scattered  all  about  by  the  explosion.' 
Captain  Weston  soon  joined  the  lad.  The  sailor 
motioned  Tom  to  follow  him,  and  being  more  fa- 
miliar with  ocean  craft  the  captain  was  permitted 
to  take  the  lead.  He  headed  aft,  seeking  to  locate 


20S  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

the  captain's  cabin.  Nor  was  he  long  in  finding 
it.  He  motioned  for  the  others  to  enter,  that  the 
combined  illumination  of  the  lamps  in  their 
helmets  would  make  the  place  bright  enough  so  a 
search  could  be  made  for  the  gold.  Tom  sud- 
denly seized  the  arm  of  the  captain,  and  pointed 
to  one  corner  of  the  cabin.  There  stood  a  small 
safe,  and  at  the  sight  of  it  Captain  Weston  moved 
toward  it.  The  door  was  not  locked,  probably 
having  been  left  open  when  the  ship  was  deserted. 
Swinging  it  back  the  interior  was  revealed. 

It  was  empty.    There  was  no  gold  bullion  in  it 

There  was  no  mistaking  the  dejected  air  of 
Captain  Weston.  The  others  shared  his  feelings, 
but  though  they  all  felt  like  voicing  their  disap- 
pointment, not  a  word  could  be  spoken.  Mr. 
Sharp,  by  vigorous  motions,  indicated  to  his  com- 
panions to  seek  further. 

They  did  so,  spending  all  the  rest  of  the  day 
in  the  wreck,  save  for  a  short  interval  for  dinner, 
But  no  gold  rewarded  their  search. 

Tom,  late  that  afternoon,  wandered  away  from 
the  others,  and  found  himself  in  the  captain's 
cabin  again,  with  the  empty  safe  showing  dimly 
in  the  water  that  was  all  about. 

"Hang  it  all !"  thought  the  lad,  "we've  had  all 
our  trouble  for  nothing !"  They  must  have  taken 
the  gold  with  them." 


RAMMING  THE  WRECK  209 

Idly  he  raised  his  steel  bar,  and  struck  it  against 
the  partition  back  of  the  safe.  To  his  astonish- 
ment the  partition  seemed  to  fall  inward,  reveal- 
ing a  secret  compartment.  The  lad  leaned  for- 
ward to  bring  the  light  for  his  helmet  to  play  on 
the  recess.  He  saw  a  number  of  boxes,  piled  one 
upon  the  other.  He  had  accidentally  touched  a 
hi'dden  spring  and  opened  a  secret  receptacle.  But 
what  did  it  contain  ? 

Tom  reached  in  and  tried  to  lift  one  of  the 
boxes.  He  found  it  beyond  his  strength.  Trem- 
bling from  excitement,  he  went  in  search  o£  the 
others.  He  found  them  delving  in  the  after  part 
of  the  wreck,  but  by  motions  our  hero  caused 
them  to  follow  him.  Captain  Weston  showed  the 
excitement  he  felt  as  soon  as  he  caught  sight  of 
the  boxes.  He  and  Mr.  Sharp  lifted  one  out,  and 
placed  it  on  the  cabin  floor.  They  pried  off  the 
top  with  their  bars. 

There,  packed  in  layers,  were  small  yellow  bars ; 
dull,  gleaming,  yellow  bars!  It  needed  but  a 
glance  to  show  that  they  were  gold  bullion.  Tom 
had  found  the  treasure.  The  lad  tried  to  dance 
around  there  in  the  cabin  of  the  wreck,  nearly 
three  miles  below  the  surface  of  the  ocean,  but 
the  pressure  of  water  was  too  much  for  him. 
Their  trip  had  been  successful 


CHAPTER  XXV 

HOME  WITH  THE  GOLD 

THERE  was  no  time  to  be  lost.  They  were  in 
a  treacherous  part  of  the  ocean,  and  strong  cur- 
rents might  at  any  time  further  break  up  the 
wreck,  so  that  they  could  not  come  at  the  gold. 
It  was  decided,  by  means  of  motions,  to  at  once 
transfer  the  treasure  to  the  submarine.  As  the 
boxes  were  too  heavy  to  carry  easily,  especially 
AS  two  men,  who  were  required  to  lift  one,  could 
not  walk  together  in  the  uncertain  footing  af- 
forded by  the  wreck,  another  plan  was  adopted. 
The  boxes  were  opened  and  the  bars,  a  few  at  a 
time,  were  dropped  on  a  firm,  sandy  place  at  the 
side  of  the  wreck.  Tom  and  Captain  Weston 
did  this  work,  while  Mr.  Sharp  and  Mr.  Damon 
carried  the  bullion  to  the  diving  chamber  of  the 
Advance.  They  put  the  yellow  bars  inside,  andr 
when  quite  a  number  had  been  thus  shifted,  Mr. 
Swift,  closing  the  chamber,  pumped  the  water 
out  and  removed  the  gold.  Then  he  opened  the 


HOME  WITH  THE  GOLD  211 

chamber  to  the  divers  again,  and  the  process  was 
repeated,  until  all  the  bullion  had  been  secured. 

Tom  would  have  been  glad  to  make  a  further 
examination  of  the  wreck,  for  he  thought  he  could 
get  some  of  the  rifles  the  ship  carried,  but  Captain 
Weston  signed  to  him  not  to  attempt  this. 

The  lad  went  to  the  pilot  house,  while  his  father 
and  Mr.  Sharp  took  their  places  in  the  engine- 
room.  The  gold  had  been  safely  stowed  in  Mr. 
Swift's  cabin. 

Tom  took  a  last  look  at  the  wreck  before  he 
gave  the  starting  signal.  As  he  gazed  at  the  bent 
and  twisted  mass  of  steel  that  had  once  been  a 
great  ship,  he  saw  something  long,  black  and 
shadowy  moving  around  from  the  other  side, 
coming  across  the  bows. 

"There's  another  big  shark,"  he  observed  to 
Captain  Weston.  "They're  coming  back  after 


us." 


The  captain  did  not  speak.  He  was  staring  at 
the  dark  form.  Suddenly,  from  what  seemed  the 
pointed  nose  of  it,  there  gleamed  a  light,  as  from 
some  great  eye. 

"Look  at  that !"  cried  Tom.  "That's  no  shark !" 

"If  ycu  want  my  opinion,"  remarked  the  sailor, 

"I  should  say  it  was  the  other  submarine — that 

of  Berg  and  his  friends — the  Wonder.    They've 


212  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT       ' 

managed  to  fix  up  their  craft  and  are  after  the 
gold." 

"But  they're  too  late!"  cried  Tom  excitedly. 
"Let's  tell  them  so." 

"No,  advised  the  captain.  "We  don't  want 
any  trouble  with  them." 

Mr.  Swift  came  forward  to  see  why  his  son  had 
not  given  the  signal  to  start.  He  was  shown  the 
other  submarine,  for  now  that  the  Wonder  had 
turned  on  several  searchlights,  there  was  no  doubt 
as  to  the  identity  of  the  craft. 

"Let's  get  away  unobserved  if  we  can,"  he  sug- 
gested. "We  have  had  trouble  enough." 

It  was  easy  to  do  this,  as  the  Advance  was  hid- 
den behind  the  wreck,  and  her  lights  were  glow- 
ing but  dimly.  Then,  too,  those  in  the  other  sub- 
marine were  so  excited  over  the  finding  of  what 
they  supposed  was  the  wreck  containing  the 
treasure,  that  they  paid  little  attention  to  any- 
thing else. 

"I  wonder  how  they'll  feel  when  they  find  the 
gold  gone?"  asked  Tom  as  he  pulled  the  lever 
starting  the  pumps. 

"Well,  we  may  have  a  chance  to  learn,  when  we 
get  back  to  civilization,"  remarked  the  captain. 

The  surface  was  soon  reached,  and  then,  under 
fair  skies,  and  on  a  calm  sea,  the  voyage  home 


HOME  WITH  THE  GOLD  213 

was  begun.  Part  of  the  time  the  Advance  sailed 
on  the  top,  and  part  of  the  time  submerged. 

They  met  with  but  a  single  accident,  and  that 
was  when  the  forward  electrical  plate  broke.  But 
with  the  aft  one  still  in  commission,  and  the  aux' 
iliary  screws,  thev  made  good  time.  Just  before 
reaching  home  they  settled  down  to  the  bottom 
and  donned  the  diving  suits  again,  even  Mr.  Swift 
taking  his  turn.  Mr.  Damon  caught  some  large 
lobsters,  of  which  he  was  very  fond,  or,  rather, 
to  be  more  correct,  the  lobsters  caught  him.  When 
he  entered  the  diving  chamber  there  were  four 
fine  ones  clinging  to  different  parts  of  his  diving 
suit.  Some  of  them  were  served  for  dinner. 

The  adventurers  safely  reached  the  New  Jersey 
coast,  and  the  submarine  was  docked.  Mr.  Swift 
at  once  communicated  with  the  proper  authorities 
concerning  the  recovery  of  the  gold.  He  offered 
to  divide  with  the  actual  owners,  after  he  and  his 
friends  had  been  paid  for  their  services,  but  as 
the  revolutionary  party  to  whom  the  bullion  was 
intended  had  gone  out  of  existence,  there  was  no 
one  to  officially  claim  the  treasure,  so  it  all  went 
to  Tom  and  his  friends,  who  made  an  equitable 
distribution  of  it.  The  young  inventor  did  not 
forget  to  buy  Mrs.  Baggert  a  fine  diamohd  ring, 
as  he  had  promised. 

As  for  Berg  and  his  employers,  they  were,  i* 


214  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

was  learned  later,  greatly  chagrined  at  finding 
the  wreck  valueless.  They  tried  to  make  trouble 
for  Tom  and  his  father,  but  were  not  successful. 

A  few  days  after  arriving  at  the  seacoast  cot- 
tage, Tom,  his  father  and  Mr.  Damon  went  to 
Shopton  in  the  airship.  Captain  Weston,  Garret 
Jackson  and  Mr.  Sharp  remained  behind  in  charge 
of  the  submarine.  It  was  decided  that  the  Swifts 
would  keep  the  craft  and  not  sell  it  to  the  Govern^ 
men,  as  Tom  said  they  might  want  to  go  after 
more  treasure  some  day. 

"I  must  first  deposit  this  gold,"  said  Mr.  Swift 
as  the  airship  landed  in  front  of  the  shed  at  his 
home.  "It  won't  do  to  keep  it  in  the  house  over 
night,  even  if  the  Happy  Harry  gang  is  in  jail." 

Tom  helped  him  take  it  to  the  bank.  As  they 
were  making  perhaps  the  largest  single  deposit 
ever  put  in  the  institution,  Ned  Newton  came  out. 

"Well,  Tom,"  he  cried  to  his  chum,  "it  seems 
that  you  are  never  going  to  stop  doing  things. 
You've  conquered  the  air,  the  earth  and  the 
water." 

"What  have  you  been  doing  while  I've  beer? 
under  water,  Ned  ?"  asked  the  young  inventor. 

"Oh,  the  same  old  thing.  Running  errands  and 
doing  all  sorts  of  work  in  the  bank." 

Tom  had  a  sudden  idea.  He  whispered  to  his 
father  and  Mr.  Swift  nodded.  A  little  later  he 


HOME  WITH  THE  GOLD 

Was  closeted  with  Mr.  Prendergast,  the  bank 
president.  It  was  not  long  before  Ned  and  Tom 
were  called  in. 

*'I  have  some  good  news  for  you,  Ned,"  said 
Mr.  Prendergast,  while  Tom  smiled.  "Mr.  Swift 
er — ahem — one  of  our  largest  depositors,  has 
spoken  to  me  about  you,  Ned.  I  find  that  you 
have  been  very  faithful.  You  are  hereby  appointed 
assistant  cashier,  and  of  course  you  will  get  a 
much  larger  salary." 

Ned  could  hardly  believe  it,  but  he  knew  then 
what  Tom  had  whispered  to  Mr.  Swift.  The 
wishes  of  a  depositor  who  brings  much  gold 
bullion  to  a  bank  can  hardly  be  ignored. 

"Come  on  out  and  have  some  soda,"  invited 
Tom,  and  when  Ned  looked  inquiringly  at  the 
president,  the  latter  nodded  an  assent. 

As  the  two  J.ads  were  crossing  the  street  to  a 
drug  store,  something  whizzed  past  them,  nearly 
running  them  down. 

"What  sort  of  an  auto  was  that?"  cried  Tom. 

"That?  Oh,  that  was  Andy  Foger's  new  car," 
answered  Ned.  "He's  been  breaking  the  speed 
laws  every  day  lately,  but  no  one  seems  to  bother 
him.  It's  because  his  father  is  rich,  I  suppose. 
Andy  says  he  has  the  fastest  car  ever  built." 

"He  has,  eh  ?"  remarked  Tom,  while  a  curious 


216  TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

look  came  into  his  eyes.  "Well,  maybe  I  can 
build  one  that  will  beat  his." 

And  whether  the  young  inventor  did  or  not 
you  can  learn  by  reading  the  fifth  volume  of  this 
series,  to  be  called  "Tom  Swift  and  His  Electric 
Runabout;  Or,  The  Speediest  Car  on  the  Road.n 

"Well,  Tom,  I  certainly  appreciate  what  you 
did  for  me  in  getting  me  a  better  position,"  re- 
marked Ned  as  they  left  the  drug  store.  "I  was 
beginning  to  think  I'd  never  get  promoted.  Say, 
have  you  anything  to  do  this  evening?  If  you 
haven't,  I  wish  you'd  come  over  to  my  house.  Fve 
got  a  lot  of  pictures  I  took  while  you  were  away." 

"Sorry,  but  I  can't,"  replied  Tom. 

"Why,  are  you  going  to  build  another  airship 
or  submarine  ?" 

"No,  but  I'm  going  to  see -  Oh,  what  do 

you  want  to  know  for,  anyhow?"  demanded  the 
young  inventor  with  a  blush.  "Can't  a  fellow 
go  see  a  girl  without  being  cross-questioned?" 

"Oh,  of  course,"  replied  Ned  with  a  laugh. 
"Give  Miss  Nestor  my  regards,"  and  at  this  Tom 
blushed  still  more.  But,  as  he  said,  that  was  his 
own  affair. 

THE  END 


This  Isn't  All! 


Would  you  like  to  know  what 
became  of  the  good  friends  you 
have  made  in  this  book? 

Would  you  like  to  read  other 
stories  continuing  their  adventures 
and  experiences,  or  other  books 
quite  as  entertaining  by  the  same 
author  ? 

On  the  reverse  side  of  the  wrap- 
per which  comes  with  this  book, 
you  will  find  a  wonderful  list  of 
stories  which  you  can  buy  at  the 
same  store  where  you  got  this  book. 

's  throw' away  the  Wrappet 

iJse  it  as  a  "handy  catalog  of  the  books 
you  want  some  day  to  have,  ^But  in 
case  you  do  mislay  it,  write  to  the 
Publishers  for  a  complete  catalog. 


THE    TOM    SWIFT    SERIES 

By  VICTOR  APPLETON 

Uniform  Style  of   Binding.     Individual  Colored  Wrappers. 
Every  Volume  Complete  in  Itself. 

Every  boy  possesses  some  form  of  inventive  genius.  Tom  Swift 
is  a  bright,  ingenious  boy  and  his  inventions  and  adventures  make 
the  most  interesting  kind  of  reading. 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  MOTOR  CYCLE 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  MOTOR  BOAT 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  AIRSHIP 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SUBMARINE  BOAT 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  WIRELESS  MESSAGE 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  ELECTRIC  RUNABOUT 

TOM  SWIFT  AMONG  THE  DIAMOND  MAKERS 

TOM  SWIFT  IN  THE  CAVES  OF  ICE 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  SKY  RACER 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  ELECTRIC  RIFLE 

TOM  SWIFT  IN  THE  CITY  OF  GOLD 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  AIR  GLIDER 

TOM  SWIFT  IN  CAPTIVITY 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  WIZARD  CAMERA 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  SEARCHLIGHT 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GIANT  CANNON 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  PHOTO  TELEPHONE 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  AERIAL  WARSHIP 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  BIG  TUNNEL 

TOM  SWIFT  IN  THE  LAND  OF  WONDERS 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  WAR  TANK 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  AIR  SCOUT 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  UNDERSEA  SEARCH 

TOM  SWIFT  AMONG  THE  FIRE  FIGHTERS 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  ELECTRIC  LOCOMOTIVE 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  FLYING  BOAT 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  GREAT  OIL  GUSHER 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  CHEST  OF  SECRETS 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  AIRLINE  EXPRESS 

TOM  SWIFT  CIRCLING  THE  GLOBE 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  TALKING  PICTURES 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  HOUSE  ON  WHEELS 

TOM  SWIFT  AND  HIS  BIG  DIRIGIBLE 

GROSSET  &  DUNLAP,   Publishers,  NEW  YORK 


THE  TED  SCOTT  FLYING  STORIES 

B?  FRANKLIN  W,  DIXON 

Individual  Colored  Wrappers  and  Text  Illustrations  by 

WALTER  S.  ROGERS 
Each  Volume  Complete  in  Itself. 

No  subject  has  so  thoroughly  caught  the  imagination  of 
young  America  as  aviation.  This  series  has  been  inspired 
by  recent  daring  feats  of  the  air,  and  is  dedicated  to  Lind- 
berg,  Byrd,  Chamberlin  and  other  heroes  of  the  skies. 

OVER  THE  OCEAN  TO  PARIS ; 

or  Ted  Scoff's  daring  long  distance  flight. 

RESCUED  IN  THE  CLOUDS; 

or,  Ted  Scott,  Hero  of  the  Air. 

OVER  THE  ROCKIES  WITH  THE  AIR  MAIL  ; 

or,  Ted  Scott,  Lost  in  the  Wilderness, 

FIRST  STOP  HONOLULU; 

or,  Ted  Scott,  over  the  Pacific. 

THE  SEARCH  FOR  THE  LOST  FLYERS; 

or,  Ted  Scott,  Over  the  West  Indies. 

SOUTH  OF  THE  RIO  GRANDE ; 

or,  Ted  Scott,  On  a  Secret  Mission. 

ACROSS  THE  PACIFIC; 

or,  Ted  Scott's  Hop  to  Australia. 

THE  LONE  EAGLE  OF  THE  BORDER ; 

or,  Ted  Scott  and  the  Diamond  Smugglers. 

FLYING  AGAINST  TIME; 

or,  Breaking  the  Ocean  to  Ocean  Record 

OVER  THE  JUNGLE  TRAILS  ; 

or,  Ted  Scott  and  the  Missing  Explorers. 

LOST  AT  THE  SOUTH  POLE; 

or,  Ted  Scott  in  Blizzard  Land. 

GROSSET  &  DUNLAP,  Publishers,  NEW  YORK 


WESTERN  STORIES  FOR  BOYS 

By  JAMES  CODY  FERRIS 

Individual  Colored  Wrappers  and  Illustration*  by 

WALTER  S.  ROGERS 
Each  Volume  Complete  in  Itself. 

Thrilling  tales  of  the  great  west,  told  primarily  for 
boys  but  which  will  be  read  by  all  who  love  mystery, 
rapid  action,  and  adventures  in  the  great  open  spaces. 

The  Manly  Boys,  Roy  and  Teddy,  are  the  sons  of 
an  old  ranchman,  the  owner  of  many  thousands  of 
heads  of  cattle.  The  lads  know  how  to  ride,  how  to 
shoot,  and  how  to  take  care  of  themselves  under  any 
and  all  circumstances. 

The  cowboys  of  the  X  Bar  X  Ranch  are  real  cow- 
boys, on  the  job  when  required  but  full  of  fun  and 
daring — a  bunch  any  reader  will  be  delighted  to  know. 

THE  X  BAR  X  BOYS  ON  THE  RANCH 
THE  X  BAR  X  BOYS  IN  THUNDER  CANYON 
THE  X  BAR  X  BOYS  ON  WHIRLPOOL  RIVER 
THE  X  BAR  X  BOYS  ON  BIG  BISON  TRAIL 
THE  X  BAR  X  BOYS  AT  THE  ROUND-UP 
THE  X  BAR  X  BOYS  AT  NUGGET  CAMP 
THE  X  BAR  X  BOYS  AT  RUSTLER'S  GAP 
THE  X  BAR  X  BOYS  AT  GRIZZLY  PASS 
THE  X  BAR  X  BOYS  LOST  IN  THE  ROCKIES 

GROSSET  &  DUNLAP,    PUBLISHERS,  NEW  YORK 


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